Sunday, December 11, 2011
While I’m a “from scratch” kind of baker, there is one store bought cookie I am powerless to refuse. It’s the Lofthouse sugar cookies. They’re in pretty much every grocery store. In the fall, you’ll find them in Halloween themed colors, in the spring they’re pinks and yellows. And of course, at Christmas you’ll find lots of red & green. They sure have figured out how to market these treats year round! They’re soft and pillowy, and seem to melt in your mouth.
A while back a lot of other bloggers kept posting recipes for copycats of this, and my mouth watered every time. Unfortunately they kept being pushed to the back of my baking to-do list. Finally when I signed up for the Food Blogger Cookie Swap I thought it was a great opportunity to make these cookies. These cookies, while not an exact match to the grocery store version, are certainly soft, fluffy, and delicious! I certainly hope my recipients liked them!
I sent these cookies to A Healthy Balance, Currently Coveting, and Southern Charm NOLA. I hope you ladies enjoyed!!
PS. I loved the cookies I received from Georgie Cakes, Chocolate Moosey, and Shabbott’s Habits. I loved that I got such a great variety of cookies! Check out their links to see what I got.
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Soft Sugar Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen
Recipe Note: Make sure and let these sit overnight!
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
6 cups flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
For the frosting:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Sprinkles
Directions:
For the cookies:
In a medium bowl, whisk 5 cups of flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater attached, cream the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat at low speed until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed. Dough needs to obtain the right consistency for rolling, so add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until this is achieved (up to 1 cup more flour). Divide dough into two sections. Flatten into rectangles about 1 1/2 inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
Generously flour a work area and rolling pin. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until pale golden. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
For the frosting:
To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Once smooth and creamy, add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency is achieved.
Once cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container. Let cookies sit overnight before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
I’ve always been a breakfast person. I love almost any variety of breakfast food both savory & sweet. I am just not one of those people that can eat the same thing day in and day out, so I always keep my radar up for new things to try. I saw this recipe for a seasonal take on steel cut oats, and realized it’s been a while since I had steel cut oats. A warm bowl of this seemed like the perfect breakfast as the mornings turn colder. As my pumpkin obsession fades, it seems like I am more & more drawn to maple. And, we almost always have apples in the house, so this recipe was perfect.
I made a half batch of this, and REALLY wished I had made the whole batch. If so, I would’ve had a warm breakfast to grab & go the rest of the week. This wasn’t just delicious the day I made it, but the leftovers were amazing heated up. I cooked mine down a bit longer than the recipe called for, and also threw in an incredibly ripe pear I had on hand. The maple sautéed apples add the perfect amount of sweetness to the hearty oats. This is a great addition to my breakfast reportoire!
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Steel Cut Oatmeal with Maple Sautéed Apples
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 40 min
Total Time: approximately 45 minutes
As I mentioned, I added in a really ripe pear which was so soft it cooked down and thickened the syrup. I also cooked the apples a little bit longer than the original recipe called for. I have adapted the cooking time in the recipe below, but didn't include the pear in the ingredients. It's was just one of those "if I don't use this thing this instant I have to throw it away" kinda things.
Ingredients:
OATS:
3 cups water
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 cup steel-cut oats
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
MAPLE SAUTÉED APPLES:
2 tablespoons (1⁄4 stick) unsalted butter
3 large firm apples (about 11⁄2 pounds), peeled, cored, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices 1 tablespoon plus 1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
OATS:
Bring the water and milk to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until just beginning to foam; add the oats and toast, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until golden and fragrant with a butterscotch-like aroma, 1 1⁄2 to 2 minutes.
Stir the toasted oats into the simmering liquid, reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer gently, until the mixture thickens and resembles gravy, about 20 minutes. Add the salt and stir lightly with the spoon handle. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon handle, until the oats absorb almost all of the liquid and the oatmeal is thick and creamy, with a pudding-like consistency, about 7 to 10 minutes. Off the heat, let the oatmeal stand uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with maple sautéed apples.
MAPLE SAUTÉED APPLES:
(Begin cooking apples when the oats have about 5 minutes cooking time remaining.)
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup; sauté until the apples are tender, about 6 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1⁄2 cup maple syrup and cinnamon; simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minute.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
A winner has been chosen thanks to Random.org. It’s lucky number 100: Shalie. Shalie, I have emailed you and you have until Tuesday night at midnight EST to respond, or another winner will be chosen.
My original plan was to count up all the different ways that people enjoy using goat cheese, and include that info in this post. But… I kind of forgot. Whoops! But if you’re looking for creative & delicious ways to use goat cheese, I highly recommend you browse the comments on that post! Holy yum!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
One of the first questions I asked my doctor when I found out I was pregnant was what foods I should avoid, and what were myths regarding pregnancy & food. I was certainly relieved when she told me that soft cheeses such as goat cheese, blue cheese, etc were perfectly safe as long as they were pasteurized. And here in the US, it’s pretty hard to come by unpasteurized milk or soft cheeses. Pretty much anything you can purchase at the supermarket will be pasteurized. So, when I was contacted by Ile de France Gourmet Cheeses for a chance to sample their goat cheese and do a giveaway, I jumped at the chance! Of course, the first question I asked was whether or not their cheeses are pasteurized. Being assured they are, I am delighted to bring you this recipe!
With a quick look at my post history it’s easy to see I love goat cheese. From pizza & burgers, appetizers, steak, to muffins & ice cream, goat cheese is incredibly versatile. When planning the menu for my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner, I knew I wanted a savory goat cheese dish. It didn’t take me long to settle on this recipe for goat cheese macaroni & cheese. I knew Nathan & I would like it, as well as our neighbor who we invited over. I just wasn’t sure if Nathan’s dad would like it. I know he certainly enjoys traditional Thanksgiving fare, and was worried the goat cheese macaroni & cheese would be a little too “out there” for him. I told him multiple times it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if he didn’t like it. Well it looks like I underestimated his palate! He really enjoyed the goat cheese macaroni & cheese, and even asked for the recipe!
In most dishes I make with goat cheese, I often say the goat cheese adds subtle flavor to the dish. But, in this one, I’ll say it certainly moves to the center stage. I found Ile de France’s goat cheese to be top quality, and it was perfect for this dish. This macaroni & cheese is creamy, rich, & savory. The cheese sauce is a bit thicker than your average sauce, and you’ll need a blender or food processor to help it all come together. This was one of the last dishes that came together for me as I was finishing up our Thanksgiving spread. Only then did I realize you can make the cheese sauce the night before. Haha, oh well! Despite that, it was still a simple dish to make. It was certainly well enjoyed by all of us, and I definitely think you will like it too!
***GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*** Congrats to the winner: Lucky number 100 Shalie
And now, for the giveaway! You can win a 5 cheese basket including a variety of Ile de France Cheeses, such as brie cheese, goat cheese, camembert and Roquefort. I can’t say exactly what the basket will include, however, and it may include some other French cheeses as well! Is your mouth watering right now? Mine is. This would be the perfect addition to your holiday or New Year’s gathering. All you have to do to enter is answer: “What is your favorite dish involving goat cheese?”
For one additional chance to win, tweet about the giveaway and leave an additional comment telling me you tweeted. “@ErinsFoodFiles is giving a away an Ile de France cheese basket from @IDFCheese! Enter here to win: http://tinyurl.com/79vrdbe” Be sure to leave your twitter handle in the comment, so I can verify!
**Giveaway ends Sunday, December 4th, 11pm CST**
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Goat Cheese Mac & Cheese
Yield: approx 6 generous servings
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups half-and-half
¾ cup heavy cream
1½ tablespoons white wine
1¼ cup fresh goat cheese (such as Ile de France)
½ cup garlic-herb Boursin cheese
1½ teaspoons kosher salt (or more to taste)
1⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Dash of Tabasco
2/3 box (2/3 pound) cavatappi/corkscrew pasta (the original recipe called for 1/2 a box, and this was not enough for me, so I ended up cooking more pasta)
cracked black pepper
Directions:
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux and cook for 1 minute.
Add half-and-half, heavy cream, white wine, salt, and white pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a high simmer, but make sure not to boil the milk. Cook the mixture on low for 10 minutes to thicken. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Put the cream mixture into a blender and add the goat and Boursin cheeses and Tabasco. Blend for 10 seconds on low speed until smooth.
Strain the cheese sauce through a mesh strainer back into the saucepan and set aside to cool until the pasta is cooked, or store it covered overnight in the fridge.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cavatappi, and cook until al dente, about 8 or 9 minutes (the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce). Strain the pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low and warm the macaroni and cheese until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with more salt if necessary. Finish with a touch of cracked black pepper.
PS. Even if you don’t win, head on over to Ile de France’s website for coupons and giveaways on their site!
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