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Holiday Baking with Pillsbury® (White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies)

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:52:24 +0000

It is time to start thinking about holiday baking. I have been pulling new recipes to try and experimenting a little bit. Last week I recreated a favorite using Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough. The Pillsbury® Refrigerate cookie dough made baking these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies so easy.

A group of bloggers were invited by General Mills to share recipes using their Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough. We were paid for our recipes but my opinion is completely mine!

A few years ago I added White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies to my yearly favorites. I love the sweetness of the cranberries and the flecks of red peeking out of the sugar dough looks so pretty.

Working with General Mills I have started discovering how many other ways you can use their cookie dough. For most of my life, I just cut and sliced like the directions said but I have discovered a whole other world of baking with their dough. When I have a few rolls of their dough in the refrigerator it’s easy to make cookies with my niece and nephews when they are over.

Another time saver I use for the holidays is to make a batch of these cookies and form the dough into a log. I wrap them and refrigerate. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days, after that I throw it in the freezer. When I am going to a party I can slice and cook while I am getting ready. I box them in a cute box, wrap with a ribbon and I have a homemade gift to bring to the party.

This is a recipe that the children can easily help out with.

Let them crumble up the dough in the mixing bowl. They can help roll it into a log.

Cut out your slices and place a baking sheet. I like to line mine with a silpat but you could spray or line with parchment paper too.

If you want to be fancy roll out the dough and cut out shapes. This is where the kids love to jump in and help.

Bake them until they are just starting to turn brown and then remove from the oven.

Once they are cooled melt white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is smooth. Be careful – it is better to under cook. If you over cook the chocolate will brown and granulated.

Let the kids dip the cookies in the white chocolate and then place on wax paper or parchment paper to dry.

For more tips and to see what my fellow bloggers have baked for you go over to Pillsbury.com. What have you made with Pillsbury dough? Please share in the comments below.

White Chocolate Cranberry Sugar Cookies

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
1 1/2 cups white chocolate 3/4 cup reserved
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break up the cookie dough in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle. Add cranberries and white chocolate to the dough and mix.

Form into a roll and slice into 1/4 “ rounds. Place the rounds on a lined baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are turning just slightly brown. Remove from the oven and cool.

Melt the remaining white chocolate chips in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water. Dip the cookies half way into the white chocolate and place on parchment paper to harden.

Kathi Lipp Joins Us With Dinner Solutions

admin — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:39:38 +0000

This week on Adventures In The Kitchen we are talking to Kathi Lipp. Kathi is author of The What’s For Dinner Solution.

She is sharing practical tips and recipes to getting dinner on the table. join us Sunday, 4 pm on KKLA 99.5. you can listen online at www.kkla.com. we are giving away two copies of her book. Check back after the show for how to enter.

Ollalieberry Peach Pie

admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:52:47 +0000

Driving by a farmers stand in Yorba Linda I saw that Olallieberries were back in season. They say this is the year of the pie and the Fourth of July is coming up. Inspired by a few magazine covers I decided to make a lattice topped pie.

Olallieberries are only around for a very short season each year. Last year I made this. I bought a few pints on the way to pick up my niece last week and we munched on them driving home. They are sweeter than blackberries making them a great snack.

I tried a new pie crust this time – it was a cross between a Julia Child recipe and one by Silver Spoon. I have to honest and say while it tastes good I am going to try another crust next time. Next time I am going to try one without the eggs.

I followed the directions for making a lattice top in the Farmchicks in the Kitchen Cookbook. Putting the cut strips in the refrigerator before topping the pie is part of the success. It keeps them cold and easier to handle.

What pies are you making this summer?

Olallieberry Peach Pie

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes Serves 6-8

Piecrust

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of one lemon
2 ounces butter
2 ounces shortening
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup ice water

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Place in the food processor and add the butter and shortening. Blend until they are incorporated into the flour mixture. Pour in the eggs and mix until the dough starts to form a ball. If the mixture is too dry slowly add in the ice water.

Place the dough onto a floured surface and form into two balls, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Remove one ball of dough and roll into an oblong on a floured surface. Cut out 8-10 Place strips on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in refrigerator while you roll out the bottom crust.

Roll out the second ball of dough to 1/8 inch thickness; transfer to a 9-inch pie pan.

Olallieberry Peach Filling

3 cups berries
2 cups peaches, skin removed and chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 egg whisked (for brushing on pie dough)
sanding sugar to sprinkle over

Mix the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt together. Place fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle lemon juice over the fruit. Toss the fruit with the sugar mixture and coat the fruit.

Pour the fruit into the pie shell. Build the lattice top, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Lattice Top Crust

Starting at one edge of the pie, lay half the strips lengthwise over the filling, spacing them evenly. Gently bend back alternate strips and lay a strip crosswise over the ones remaining flat. Lay the bent strips flat again and bend back the ones in between them. Lay another strip crosswise over the flat strips.

Continue to bend back alternate strips and weave the over-under lattice. Wen all the strips are in position, trim any long ends, fold up the bottom crust over the strips and crimp the edge to seal.

A Winner and Espresso Shortbread Hearts

admin — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:04:16 +0000

We have a winner – Lesley Wynn!

Lesley email me your info and Tyler Florence’s Family Meals cookbook will be on it’s way to your house! Thank you to everyone who took the survey. I hope to have fun and exciting news to share with you one day soon!

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I have been a little pre-occupied with my sweet dog Max who broke his leg earlier this month. Due to the bone not healing and a myriad of other health issues I had to put him down yesterday. It was an extremely sad day as he was my first dog and not even 2 years old yet. I will miss him terribly. I learned the hard way the dangers of buying dogs at a pet store that buys from puppy mills! My next dog will be a rescue dog for sure! I haven’t been cooking much but will get back into the kitchen this weekend with more new recipes to bring you.

Today I am offering up the tasty Espresso Shortbread Hearts I made last year for Valentine’s Day. With a hint of espresso and drizzled with chocolate they are a great afternoon snack to go with a cup of coffee. They were so good I am going to make them again and thought I’d share them with you one more time.

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Espresso Bean Shortbread Hearts
Adapted from Martha Stewart recipe

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon finely ground espresso beans
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Whisk flour, espresso, and salt in a bowl. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, and mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix on medium-low until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Roll between sheets of parchment to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts with a cookie cutter; space 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Reroll scraps; cut out. Freeze 10 minutes.
Bake until set but not browned, about 9 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

While cookies are cooling melt chocolate chips in a saucepan or in the microwave. Using a toothpick drizzle over the cookies. Let harden.

Family Meals Survey and A Tyler Florence Giveaway

admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:47:34 +0000

I am working on a few cooking projects and would love some input from you, my Adventures In The Kitchen readers. To entice you I am giving away a copy of Tyler Florence’s latest book, Family Meal: Bringing People Together Never Felt Better. What a great title. It fits with the theme of my survey. His book is filled with great ideas and recipes for feeding your family.

The giveaway will end Monday night, February 7th at 12 pm PST. Feel free to share the survey link with your friends. Thank you for taking the time to share. I’ll be back this weekend with new recipes!

Visit to Martha Stewart Dreamers Into Doers Event

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:01:41 +0000

Recently I felt like I hit the jackpot when I went to New York to attend the Martha Stewart Dreamers Into Doers event.

80 passionate women came there to attend a two day event. My friend Laurie, owner of The Dog Squad and Twinkle Couture also attended. We had Monday to play and made the most of it braving the ice cold weather. With my recently sprained ankle tightly wrapped I limped around the city. I am still paying for that day! But we were in New York I couldn’t just sit in the hotel! We started at Balthazar for an early lunch. I had the most delicious, creamy goat cheese tart with a mixed green salad. After that it was off to shop.

A highlight from Monday was having tea at The Plaza. Who doesn’t love The Plaza and the history of such a beautiful hotel. I always think of Eloise, especially watching all the little girls dressed up for tea. At an adjacent table there was a dad dining with you his little girl, sharing tea sandwiches and sipping tea. It was so cute. Chef Johnny Franco came out and talked with us. It turns out he grew up here in Orange County.

That evening there was a Meet and Mingle where we had our first opportunity to meet the other Dreamers Into Doers attendees. They were from all over the United States. I saw Janis and Jean, fellow LA attendees.

Tuesday we rolled out of bed early to attend a taping of The Martha Stewart Show.

People Pictures

From there we went on to MSLO, the headquarters for most of her endeavors. It was a rainy day so we were a bit drenched by the time we arrived. The building is huge and the floor is one city block big. As you walked through the offices you caught glimpses of the magazines, Martha Stewart Michael’s products and saw a huge room filled with beds for her line of linens.

The florist at the end of the hall.

One funny thing is that sign posted on the inside of every bathroom stall.

We were treated to a lovely lunch and and heard from Teri Shaprio of Deluxe.

At the end of the day Martha joined us for a session on foundations. I wish I could show you a cute picture of the two of us but the mob scene swallowed her and she slipped out. This will have to do.

Nightclubs

The evening ended with mini makeovers by Jane Iresdale and cocktails.

So much more to share. I’ll post more this week about the second day and meeting the Food Editor of Martha Stewart Living.

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You’ve Just Been Spotted 2010 OC Blog Awards

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:34:31 +0000

Today I came home to an email saying I had been nominated in the Cooking & Baking Blogs category for the 2010 OC Blog Awards by You’ve Just Been Spotted.

What an honor and a great way to end the day. The voting is going on all week and you can vote no matter where you live. If you would like to vote for Adventures In The Kitchen click on the button below.

Voting ends Sunday, September 12th at 11:59 pm. You can vote here.

If you were here, I’d shamelessly offer you a cookie, perhaps a glass of wine. Unfortunately you are not here and so I offer you a new recipe to try – Sweet Potato Fries with Peach Ketchup. I had this dish while up north and had to come home to try and recreate.

Go and check out all of the great blogs that come out of Orange County. I had no idea there were that many food blogs in the OC. I just went and visited all the other cooking blogs but there are creative blogs and restaurant blogs and design ones. Thanks for taking the time!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut into wedges. Place the wedges on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the olive oil. Mix to make sure all the wedges are coated.

Place in over and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Peach Ketchup
3 fresh peaches, skin removed and chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sparkling wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt

In medium non-aluminum saucepan, combine all ingredients.

Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, or until the peaches are soft. Puree with a hand blender or mixer.

Union Square Bar Nuts

cheri — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:28:42 +0000

I made these Union Square Bar Nuts as part of my recent Oscar party. They are coated with butter, brown sugar, rosemary and a bit of cayenne pepper for that extra kick.

They are considered the best bar nuts in New York. Every day at 4:45 they come out of the oven warm and straight to the bar. Even Giada shared her love for these on the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” show. This mix is extremely addictive. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Thankfully they shared the recipe so that you don’t have to be in New York to enjoy these delicious treats. They are good any time but best served warm. They will be a great side to your cheese plate while you are sipping wine with your friends!

Union Square Bar Nuts
adapted from The Union Square Cookbook

2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) assorted unsalted nuts, including peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Maldon or other sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.

Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm. And once you eat these, you will never want to stop.

Fusion Risotto

cheri — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:57:59 +0000

It is almost summer like weather here in Orange County. Coming home and having it light out is so nice, I love this time of year. It feels like we have skipped spring and are into summer. Tonight I made Fusion Risotto for the first time in a very long time. I was introduced to a version of this at a class I took when I first became a personal chef.

This risotto has a hint of the caribbean with the red curry paste and paprika. It is slightly sweet with a hint of heat. I add in peppers and snap peas but you could substitute asparagus if you’d like. Instead of sauteeing I like to grill vegetables to put on top. I like the combination of creamy risotto and crunch vegetables.

Fusion Risotto with Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
2/3 cups sherry
2 – 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2 limes, cut into quarters lengthwise
Heat chicken stock in saucepan.

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Heat 4 tbsp oil in large sauté pan. Add shallots, garlic & ginger. When shallots are soft, add curry paste, paprika and Arborio rice, stirring to coat. Add sherry and deglaze plan. Add 1 cup of stock and stir constantly. When stock is absorbed, add the coconut milk and stir until absorbed.

Add chicken stock 1 cup at a time until rice is creamy and tender. Season to taste.

Saute red and yellow peppers & sugar snap peas until just starting to be tender (4 minutes) Add the vegetables to the risotto & stir to blend.

Sprinkle with cilantro and place limes as decorative touch around rim of serving bowl.

Chocolate Orange Tart

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:12:52 +0000

Just in case you didn’t get enough sweets on Valentine’s Day I cooked up a rich dessert for you.

I love the combination of orange and chocolate. This tart is a decadent mixture of both. You start with a chocolate tart dough and fill it with a rich chocolate orange ganache. It is reminiscent of those chocolate covered oranges you can buy at Trader Joe’s.

These could also be made in bite size tart shells to serve at a large party.

Chocolate Tart Dough
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream, chilled

Ganache Filling
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier or other orange liquer

To prepare the tart dough, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and beat on low speed until just combined. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a disk. Wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the tart dough to an 18×12-inc rectangle, 3/16 inch thick. Cut out a circle 1 – 1/2 inches larger than your tart pan. Place dough in tart and using your fingers press the dough to the sides of the tart shell. Chill for 20 minutes.

Line the tart shells with foil and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until the pastry looks dry and set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the ganache glaze, in a saucepan, bring the cream and liquer to a boil. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture into the bowl and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared tart shell. Let stand until set, about 2 hours, or chill for 1 hour.