Buttery, chocolate-y, salty cookies.  Called World Peace Cookies because a daily dose of these cookies “is all that is needed to ensure planetary peace and happiness.”  Amen to that.  I love the idea of keeping several logs of this dough in the freezer to slice and bake as needed. I think it could be argued that I need to eat them every single day….chasing around a super active 16 month old is lots of work!

World Peace Cookies

from Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick plus 3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp fleur de sel or 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.  Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer.  Pour in the dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time.  Take a peek-if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel.  Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough-for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly.  Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half.  Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours.  (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.  If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking-just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

Center rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.  Using a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick.  (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them-don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.)  Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes-they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be.  Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

Makes about 36 cookies.

I was drawn to this recipe because of the peppermint flavor and the cute red and white spiral cookies.  Getting those spirals to look as cute as they did in the magazine photo (below) was definitely a little tricky.  Mine didn’t turn out quite as cute as these, but they were tasty!  I think these taste best when chilled in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

from Southern Living, December 2008

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp red food coloring paste
• Peppermint Frosting (recipe below)

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended, scraping bowl as needed.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Roll 1 portion of dough into a 12 x 8 inch rectangle on a piece of lightly floured plastic wrap.

Knead food coloring paste into remaining portion of dough while wearing rubber gloves.  Roll tinted dough into a 12 x 8 inch rectangle in a piece of lightly floured plastic wrap.  Invert untinted dough onto tinted dough; peel off plastic wrap.  Cut dough in half lengthwise, forming 2 (12 x 4 inch) rectangles.  Roll up each rectangle jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side, using bottom piece of plastic wrap as a guide.  Wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze 4 hours or up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut ends off each dough log, and discard.  Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick pieces, and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 6 to 7 minutes or until puffed and set; cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes.  Remove to wire racks and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Place Peppermint Frosting in a heavy duty zip-top plastic freezer bag.  Snip corner of bag to make a small hole.  Pipe about 2 tsp. frosting onto half of cookies; top with remaining cookies, gently pressing to form a sandwich.

Peppermint Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/8 tsp peppermint extract (I doubled this amount for extra minty flavor)

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.  Increase speed to medium, and gradually add milk and peppermint extract, beating until smooth.

One of my long-term goals is to develop more original recipes and submit them to cooking contests.  Ultimately I’d like to actually win a prize of some sort (lifetime supply of chocolate, a fancy oven, maybe the Pillsbury Million Dollars….any of those would be just dandy), but for now I’m just going to work on actually entering a cooking contest, probably a small local one at first.  I’m starting to get comfortable throwing ingredients together for a dinner, but I’m not quite there yet with my baking.  I can easily change things to add pecans or take out the blueberries and substitute cranberries, but I’m not very good at saying “hmmm, for these muffins, I’ll use 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of sugar…”  I guess I need to learn a little more about the science behind baking and do LOTS more hands-on experimenting in the kitchen.

For now, I enjoy reading about other contest winners and trying out their recipes.  This is one such recipe from Carol McLaughlin of Plattsmouth, NE.  She won $400 from Better Homes and Gardens with this recipe for Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake, and it caught my eye with the artichokes, pasta, spinach, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.  We definitely enjoyed this recipe, though I would make a few changes next time.  The Picky Apple isn’t a fan of artichokes, so I’d probably cut back on the artichokes next time.  I’d also throw in more sun-dried tomatoes so they don’t get overpowered by all the other flavors.

Chicken Florentine Artichoke Bake

Better Homes and Gardens, $400 Prize Winner

Carol McLaughlin, Plattsmouth, NE

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dried bow tie pasta
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
• 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1/2 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  In medium skillet cook onion in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; set aside.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, seasoning. 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Stir in chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, half of the Parmesan, cooked pasta, and onion.  Transfer to 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

Bake, covered, 20 minutes.  In small bowl combine remaining Parmesan, bread crumbs, paprika, and melted butter.  Sprinkle mixture over pasta.  Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until golden.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This bad boy is the other dessert I brought to Thanksgiving.  You know, the dessert that overshadowed my All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake?  I originally had plans to make a different pumpkin-y dessert for Thanksgiving, but when Ree posted this enticing recipe on The Pioneer Woman last week, I scrapped the original plans and made this cheesecake instead.  It turned out fantastic, despite a few baker errors on my part.  The crust does get a little hard due to the caramel sauce, but don’t panic if this happens to you too…it is still super duper tasty!  Mine looks a little soupy in the photo, but it just hadn’t finished “setting” in the fridge at photo time.  Head on over to The Pioneer Woman’s website to check out the recipe and see her amazing photo tutorial!

For this year’s Thanksgiving dinner(s), I made 2 desserts.  I couldn’t make up my mind which dessert to bring to which dinner, so I brought half of each dessert to both dinners.  I wasn’t the only person bringing desserts, so I didn’t worry too much about the smaller quantities.

I decided this year to make two pumpkin desserts.  I’ve had my eye on Dorie Greenspan’s recipe for All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake for a while now.  This recipe is featured in Baking from My Home to Yours and a variation was featured in a recent issue of Bon Appetit.  It’s a great basic bundt cake recipe with lots of “add ins” (cranberries, chopped apples, nuts).  The Picky Apple didn’t much care for the add ins, but I thought they completed the cake.  I topped the cake with a basic glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  This cake wasn’t exactly the star of the dessert table (you’ll see one reason when I post the other dessert I brought), but it played a strong supporting role.  I think this cake would be great for a holiday brunch!

All-in-One Holiday Bundt Cake

from Baking From My Home To Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped (I used Craisins instead for extra sweetness)
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9- to 10- inch (12 cup) Bundt pan.  Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet-you want the oven’s heat to circulate freely through the Bundt’s inner tube.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground ginger, if you’re using it (not the grated ginger).

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin, chopped apple and grated ginger, if you’re using it-don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled.  Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.  With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pecans.  Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack.

Just before bringing the cake to the table, dust it with confectioners’ sugar.

Since Thanksgiving is just a few days away, I thought I’d share some of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes from years past.  I haven’t hosted Thanksgiving at our house yet (though I’d love to do that someday), but I always bring dishes, usually desserts, along to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents’ house and The Picky Apple’s parents’ house.

I baked this pie for Thanksgiving a few years ago, and everyone seemed to really enjoy it.  The recipe caught my eye because one of my favorite restaurants, Pappadeaux Seafood, serves a Sweet Potato Pecan Pie.  (In fact, they are selling whole pies for Thanksgiving for $14.95 and $6.95 a slice….perhaps I should get in on the holiday pie-selling business!?)  Definitely don’t leave out the cinnamon ice cream, even if you use store bought.  It completes the dessert!

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

from Cottage Living Magazine, November 2005

Ingredients: (note: this ingredient list is a little confusing, so read through it carefully)

• 1 (9-inch) pie shell (if I have time, I’ll share my homemade pie crust recipe this week too!)
• 1 cup sweet potatoes, mashed
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, halved
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• Cinnamon Ice Cream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Bake pie shell 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from oven.  Lower temperature to 350 degrees F.

Combine sweet potato and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and next 3 ingredients; stir until smooth and completely combined.  Spread in an even layer in bottom of shell.  Add chopped pecans evenly over sweet potato mixture.  Lay pecan halves flat in a circle around perimeter.

Combine granulated sugar and 2 large eggs in a separate bowl; whisk until well blended.  Whisk in corn syrup, melted butter, and remaining 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour mixture slowly over pecan layer.  Do not overfill.  (You may have excess.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes or until pie is puffed, set, and golden brown.  Remove and let cool.  Serve with Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine half-and-half and whipping cream in a stainless steel saucepan.  Cook over medium heat just until mixture begins to boil.

Whisk together yolks and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture and pour back into saucepan.

Cook over low heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until custard begins to thicken and coats back of a spoon.  Strain into a metal bowl; place bowl in an ice-water bath.  Cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Pour mixture into electric freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

This is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes!  I subscribe to several recipe sharing groups, and this recipe popped up in my email inbox a few years ago.  I have no ideas about the origin of the recipe, but I’ve seen it around the internet in similar forms.  Anyone out there know where this recipe comes from?

“Cake” is a bit of a misnomer, because it is really quite custard-y.  I suppose it could be called cake since a boxed cake mix is used, but it is not a cake in the traditional sense.  Each time I make this recipe, I add more and more pecans because I like the extra crunchiness and flavor they add.  I’ve reflected my changes below.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Pour mixture into greased pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Bake 50-55 minutes.

So far this fall, I’ve tried about 4 different chili recipes, including a Cajun-style sweet hot chili and a chili con carne using beer.  All were decent, but none left me wanting another bowl.  Then I tried this recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.  THIS recipe I could eat day after day, meal after meal.  In fact, I did. I had chili for dinner one night, then lunch and dinner the following day, then lunch the day after that.  The only other dish I could eat day after day like this is my Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup.  This chili recipe makes lots of chili, but even if you’re not cooking for a crowd, make the full batch and freeze some.  It will be good in the freezer for a couple of months.

All-American Beef Chili

from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped (I used about 1 onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds (85 percent lean) ground beef
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Add the beef and increase the heat the medium-high.  Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the beef is tender, about 45 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

This post is going to be short and pictureless, but don’t let that keep you from trying out this amazing recipe!  It is yet another pork dish, this time from Cassie Craves.  She’s got lots of delicious recipes on her blog, so definitely check it out.  I absolutely LOVED this recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Prosciutto, and I’ll definitely be making it again.  It is fancy and impressive enough for company but doesn’t take long to prepare.

Stay tuned for my new favorite chili recipe and a fabulous (and easy) pumpkin cake!

Here’s a great recipe for ribs from Rory Schepisi, the runner up on The Next Food Network Star a few seasons back.  This recipe for ribs was featured on the show and won a spot in Bon Appetit magazine.  I’ve been hanging on to the recipe since it was printed in Bon Appetit.  I made these ribs last week in an effort to try some of the recipes I keep collecting and forgetting about.  I was very pleased with the results, and would definitely make these again.  The recipe makes a TON of sauce (or maybe mine just didn’t reduce at much as it should have), but it is delicious.  The only thing I would do differently next time would be to bake the sauce on for the last 15 minutes or so in addition to adding it at the end.

Rory’s Ribs

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 1/4 cups ketchup
• 1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
• 7 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
• 6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 4 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses (I substituted maple syrup)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 large racks baby back pork ribs (each about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 8 tablespoons chili powder, divided

For Barbecue Sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Press garlic through garlic press into pan. Stir 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, 3/4 cup broth, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, molasses, and vinegar. Bring sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl. This can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Sprinkle each side of each rib rack with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Arrange 2 racks on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. This can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Position 1 oven rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third; preheat to 450 degrees F.

Pour 1/2 cup of remaining broth and 2 tablespoons of remaining soy sauce around ribs on each sheet; cover each with foil. Bake ribs 30 minutes; reverse sheets. Bake ribs until tender, about 45 minutes longer. Uncover; cool slightly. Cut each rib rack between bones into individual ribs. Brush ribs generously with sauce. This can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.