Chocolate Crincke Cookies

ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup hershey's cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
powdered sugar

directions:
in a large mixing bowl, combine sugar & oil. add cocoa; blend well. beat in eggs and vanilla. combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to cocoa mixture blending well. cover; chill at least 6 hours. heat oven to 350. shape dough into 1 inch balls. roll in powdered sugar. place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. makes 4 dozen.


{Thanks so much Ariel}

Pasta With Fresh Artichokes

Pasta With Fresh Artichokes

1 box good whole-wheat spaghetti*

2-a gazillion cloves garlic, crushed and chunked

4-5 medium or 2-3 large fresh artichokes, prepared (instructions below)

Handful fresh parsley

2 fresh lemons

½-1 cup vegetable stock or pasta cooking water

Olive oil, butter

Parmesan cheese

1) Prepare the artichokes. This is the hardest part of this recipe, and the only real work. Set up a bowl of ice water and squeeze the juice of half a lemon into it. Cut the stem off the artichoke (if you are willing to take the extra time, take a good peeler and peel the stem of the dark green until only the light green remains, toss the light green stick into the bowl.) Remove the leaves from the artichoke by working around it in concentric circles. Once you get toward the inside, cut off the top, cut in half, and then scrape out the choke and remove remaining leaves. Put the heart in the bowl, and continue with remaining artichokes. Set aside. (the lemon water keeps them a pretty green).

2) Chop garlic and parsley, and start the pasta to boil.

3) Put a large pan over medium heat, add oil. Drain the artichokes, dry carefully (water in oil spits) and then chop into bite-sized chunks. Sauté until there is a nice dark glaze on them.

4) Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and a dash of butter and cook until you can smell the garlic and everything is good and hot. Add broth or water, scrape to deglaze the pan, and cover to let steam, 7-10 minutes.

5) Check the artichokes for doneness. They should be fork-tender, but not mushy. I like them with a bit of crunch. When they seem done to you, add the juice of one, to one-and-a-half lemons, add parsley and a thumb-sized chunk of butter. Toss.

6) Drain pasta, reserving a bit of cooking liquid, put back in the cooking pan, put artichoke mixture over, toss to mix. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese.

*Whole wheat pasta can be gummy and is not always the best flavor for a particular sauce. This recipe is actually best with whole-wheat, it compliments the artichoke beautifully.

Thanks Elizabeth!

Cupcakes...yum!

Thanks to Kate, you can make these delicious cupcakes too!

Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
{adapted from Food Network}
Makes a whole lot.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

The Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream Fresh lime slices, for garnish

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely. While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. * If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.

Waffles

Mark Bittman - How to Cook Everything

The best possible waffles, if you can remember to start them the night before.

8 servings

¾ t yeast

3 c flour

1 ½ T sugar

¾ t salt

3 c milk

12 T melted and cooled butter — yeah, that’s a stick and a half

¾ t vanilla (optional)

3 eggs, separated

Before going to bed, combine dry ingredients and stir in the milk, then butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.

Brush waffle iron with oil and preheat. Separate the eggs and stir the yolks into the batter. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter. Spread a ladle full onto waffle iron and bake about 3 to 5 minutes or until done. Serve immediately with maple syrup (no butter needed).

(thanks Kristine!)

Send me your food

Send me a picture of your favorite recipe and the directions and I will post it!
I am in bed. Not much cooking going on here.

Kisses,
Nie

Cookbook Giveaway winner:

Congrats to: Sufoot!!!
You have won!!!

E-mail me at stephanienielson@yahoo.com for details
This is just too fun!
Lets do it again, sometime ;)

The Gathering of Friends

This is such a fantastic Cookbook!
Perfect for the holiday season.

I am going to give one away...I will pick the winner tomorrow.
Go ahead, beg me.
Comment away-


Kisses,
CuisineNie-