White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Since I am not really the biggest chocolate fan, I often reach for sweets that are pale in colour and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are hard to resist. Macadamia nuts are sometimes hard to find in the grocery store, but I have friends who bring them back from their Hawaiian vacation.  That makes the cookies all the more special!  Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I've added a variation below with a splash of red just for the occasion.

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white chocolate (about 8 ounces, coarsely chopped) *
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped roasted macadamia nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, stirring until blended.
6. Add white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts.
7. Drop by rounded tablespoon two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet...or use a cookie scoop. 
8. Flatten slightly with dampened hands.
9. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edge. 
10. Remove from oven and let cool for several minutes.
11. Move to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen large cookies

*White chocolate chips can be used instead, though the chunks are much preferred over here.

Valentine Version: 
 

Add 1 cup of dried cranberries along with the white chocolate chunks and the macadamia nuts.

* If you have a special occasion to celebrate...they bake up fabulously for a cookiegram! Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9" round cake pan or pie plate...and form an 8-inch cookie with about one cup of cookie batter, spreading evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes...or until golden. Cool. Write your message with melted chocolate or decorator icing. I used a 'writing tip' on a Ziploc bag...and then there's no mess to clean up.

Speaking of special occasions, it happens to be Marg's birthday today. It's time for 'cake' and coffee.

 

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Cheesecake

Happy Valentines Day

The creamy layers in this dessert sit on top of a chocolate crumb crust. Whipped cream, paper thin chocolate chard's and a fresh strawberry add a special finishing touch.

Crust:

• 3/4 cup chocolate crumbs
• 1/4 cup graham crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

1. Stir together crumbs. Add melted butter.
2. Press mixture into a 10" spring form pan.
3. Bake in 350º oven for 7 minutes. Cool.

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups whipped cream, or cool whip

1. Beat cream cheese till light and fluffy. 
2. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. 
3. Fold in whipped cream or cool whip.
4. Spread mixture over cooled crust. 
5. Place in refrigerator. 

Chocolate Pudding Layer:

• 1 large box chocolate pudding and and pie filling (box calls for 3 cups milk)
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1. Cook pudding according to directions on box. 
2. Cover with wax paper and cool until luke warm. (the wax paper keeps the pudding from forming a 'crust' on top.
3. Beat cream cheese into luke warm pudding until well blended.
4. Spread over cream cheese layer.
5. Place in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Whipping Cream: ( I like to only put this layer on no more than 1 hour before serving so the cream is really fresh tasting)

• 2 cups whip cream
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp instant vanilla pudding (this stabilizes the cream)
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Add all ingredients into a cold bowl.
2. Beat until cream is whipped and soft peaks form. 
3. Spread whipped cream over chocolate layer. 

Optional: Fill a piping bag with extra whipped cream to decorate the top. Decorate with chocolate and strawberries. 

Valentine Sugar Cookies with Dragged Dots

Everyone can show someone love on Valentine's Day and so I'm giving you this post a week early so you can try this fun cookie with an artistic twist! 

Today's recipe is a joint effort between me and my grands aged between 5 and 9.  

I baked the cookies ahead of time and outlined them and then tucked them into the freezer until we had time to decorate.  

The recipe for the cookies is fairly straight forward and I enjoyed them baked simple and plain.

This recipe is large, making about 10 dozen cookies so if you not wanting such a big batch, go ahead and make half a recipe.

Sugar Cookies

• 2 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups icing sugar / powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or use three teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste.
3. Stir together the dry ingredients and stir into the batter until combined.
4. Preheat oven to 400. F.
5. Divide dough into four pieces so that it is easier to manage.
6. Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters of your preference.  Same size cookies should be on a cookie sheet. 
7. Bake for about 9 minutes but watch carefully as they will go from white to brown quickly once they reach that baked point.  They should be lightly brown underneath and the edges should be starting to color.  Under baked sugar cookies are as bad as overbaked.  
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Fill the pan again after it has cooled. 

Spreadable Royal Icing

To make the icing for these cookies,  you will want icing that holds it shape for the piping.  When you have finished piping all the cookies, add a bit more warm water to the icing for the next step when you will want the icing to puddle inside the dried piped area.  

• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• warm water to make icing the right consistency (start with a few tablespoons and add teaspoons after that)
• food coloring 

1. Combine all icing ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for a few minutes until the icing holds it shape but is smooth and glossy.  Keep the container covered at all times while you are not using it.  It can stay on the counter covered a few days while you complete your decorating.
2. Add icing to a piping bag with a small round tip for outlining cookies.
3. After all the cookies have been outlined, add additional warm water to make an icing that will puddle and be easily spread out.  Divide the icing into small containers with lids or use plastic wrap.  Add color as desired.

Now is where you can use your imagination and just have fun.  Only decorate one cookie at a time as the icing will start to harden quickly and you will not be able to drag the dots into a design.

Fill the outlined area with icing, using the back of a small spoon to spread it out. 

Using a piping bag with a very small tip or hole, squeeze dots of icing and then take a toothpick to pull the dots into a design.

Each cookie is unique and a masterpiece waiting to happen.

Once the cookies are finished.  Allow to dry for a few hours before stacking into freezer bags.

Enjoy your cookie baking!  I hope this inspires you to pull out your baking sheets and gather a few friends to create some beautiful cookies together!

Share your cookies on Instagram and add #mennonitegirlscancook

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll - Gluten Free (Bonus - Apfelstreudel variation)

   
 When I saw  Betty's recent recipe posting for Cinnamon Biscuit Rolls I wanted some !
So I revised the recipe to be gluten free and was  very happy with the results.
They are so good , flavour is mouth watering and the texture is so light and flaky!

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll

• 1 cup chick pea flour 
• 1/2 cup white corn flour (or brown rice flour) 
• 1/4 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 4 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces 
• 2 eggs plus  enough milk to make one cup 
• sweet rice flour for rolling

Filling 

• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 2 tbsp  cinnamon 

1. In lg bowl blend together well the dry ingredients. 
2. Add butter pieces to flour mix and using hands rub in butter pieces until evenly mixed. 
3. Put eggs in a measuring cup fill with milk to one cup and add to flour/butter mixture. 
4. Add to flour mixture (keep back a little of the milk in case you don't need it all.) 
5. Dough will be very sticky , but turn out on sweet rice floured parchment paper and add JUST enough sweet rice flour to make dough able to be handled.    I use all of the milk and maybe 2-3 tbsp of the sweet rice flour.) 
6. Using hands dusted with sweet rice flour as needed, pat dough out to about a 11x16 inch rectangle. 
7. Spread melted butter on dough,  then add the brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. 
8. Starting at the long end, roll up as for jelly roll, using parchment paper to help -  Smooth out the roll with your hands and slide roll WITH parchment paper onto cookie sheet. 
9. Bake for 25 min. in 400 degree oven .   
10. So yummy warm from the oven.  

Apfelstreudel 

            When I first made the cinnamon roll and taste tested it, I thought -- this would work great for Apfelstreudel - and it DID! 

My husband, swallowing his first bite ,  nodded his approval and asked  if the recipe would be in the next cook book!  I smiled and said.. "No, on the blog tomorrow!"  

1. Follow the instructions for the Cinnamon Biscuit Roll to step 7, spreading the patted out dough with the melted butter. 
2. Then use the following  filling  to cover the dough and roll up as for a jelly roll. 
3. Bake for 25 min. in a 400 degree oven.  
4. Drizzle with icing while still warm, if desired.  
5. Serve warm with ice-cream. 

Apple filling 

• 4 apples (like Macintosh or Granny Smith) 
• 1/4 cup washed seedless raisins (optional if your husband, like mine, doesn't like raisins) 
• 2 tbsp butter 
• 1/4 cup  water 
• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tsp sugar 

1. Cut up the apples into fairly small pieces. 
2. Put apples, raisins, butter, sugar and water into saucepan. 
3. Cook until apples are soft and most of water boiled out. 
4. Stir in cornstarch/sugar and cook until thickened. 
5. Remove from heat and cool.   

Cinnamon Biscuit Roll

This was a favorite of mine to bake when I was a young teenage girl. I would bake up a number of these cinnamon biscuit rolls for our lunches for school the next day. My siblings loved it because that meant there would be a change from the usual bologna sandwiches. I remember packing my lunch kit full of rolls and then I would trade at school with goodies from my friends lunches. And I was picky, I didn't trade off a roll just for anything. In the end I ended up with a pretty good variety of items. I'm not sure why my Mom allowed me to pack just these rolls for a lunch although I think she enjoyed the stories of my trades when I came home from school. And mind you I wasn't allowed to bake these rolls just anytime I liked. Maybe it was on those days when there wasn't much else to pack. I'm sure I used more sugar and cinnamon now than I would have been allowed to back then.

Biscuit  dough: (or use your favorite recipe for biscuits)

• 2  1/4 cups flour plus extra for rolling out dough.
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut in cubes
• 2 eggs
• Milk

Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cut in 1/2 cup butter cubes until crumbly.
3. Crack 2 eggs in an 8 ounce measuring cup and fill cup with milk.
4. Whisk until combined and stir into dry mixture just until combined.
5. Form into a ball and roll out to approx 16" x 18" size, using only extra flour as needed so the dough doesn't stick to the counter.
6. Spread melted butter on dough.
7. Mix together brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the dough. 
8. Roll up as for cinnamon buns, sealing edges and ends.
9. Place roll on a parchment lined cookie sheet, the parchment is great for clean up in case your seal doesn't hold well. 
10. Bake in a 400º oven for 20 minutes until golden in color.
11. Cool and cut in slices.

 Here is a lunch kit packed with cinnamon biscuit rolls.  This one belongs to my husband. I wish I still had mine.

Does anybody still have their old lunch kits?

Biscuits Supreme

I challenge anyone out there that loves biscuits to try this recipe. I haven't found one that I like better than this gem. It is from the Mennonite Treasury, and this page is torn, splattered and looks very well used. This recipe is the base for so many other recipes, like quick Cinnamon buns or pizza rolls, cheese and garlic buns etc. Try this flaky, buttery, oh so good biscuit, you won't be sorry.

• 2 c. sifted flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (it works without it too)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2/3 c. milk

1. Sift together dry ingredients, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Add milk all at once and stir with fork only until blended. 
2. Knead ten time in a lightly floured board. 
3. Roll or pat out dough to 1/2 " thickness. 
4. Cut with floured biscuit cutter and place on lightly buttered baking sheet at 450 for 10-12 minutes. 

It needs no extra butter, so good Mmmm!

Chicago Crispies

Cookies are for sharing. A plate of these was brought to my work place many years back with the recipe printed out for the taking. February is good time to bake and share your favourite treat.

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 cup Rice Krispies
• 1 cup Corn Flakes
• 1 cup chocolate chips 

1. Cream together butter, sugars, egg, milk and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl stir together all dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
3. Alternately beat oil and dry ingredients into creamed butter mixture until well blended.
4. Drop tablespoon mounds of dough onto cookie sheets and bake at 350º F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 1 minutes and remove to cooling racks. 

Yields: 6 dozen cookies

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

 

My niece, Carolyn is known for bringing these squares to family gatherings and one is lucky to get a piece, because they go fast! An oatmeal bar with a fudge filling that is hard to resist.

Ingredients:

chocolate fudge

• 1 can (10 oz / 300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

cake

• I cup butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups rolled oats

Method:

1. On medium/low heat, melt fudge ingredients, stirring as needed, until well combined. Set aside.
2. In large bowl of mixer, cream together butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs.
3. Gradually, stir in flour, baking soda and rolled oats. This will end up resembling a stiff cookie dough. For easier mixing you can use a hook attachment on the machine if you have it ... but it works fine by hand too.
4. Using a wet spatula or wet hands,  press 2/3 of the dough into a 9x13 inch greased pan. Glass or light colored aluminum is good. Keep 1/3 for top layer.
5. Spread with fudge filling.
6. Randomly scoop spoon fulls of the left over dough all over the top - like islands - allowing spots of the filling to show. (I add a few tablespoons of milk to this part of the dough to have an easier consistency to work with)
7. Bake at 350° F for 25 - 30 minutes. (Do not over bake - may appear a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven) Let cool. Cut into 36 - 48 bars. Keeps well for days, refrigerated. Freezes well.

Valentine Brownie Cheesecake Bites

Whether you want to bake from scratch or purchase two bite brownies...

your sweethearts will love this small bite dessert.

• 2 dozen purchased two bite brownies or homemade brownie bites

1. Prepare brownies if using the recipe on the link.

• 1 package jello instant cheesecake /  or homemade as listed below

1. Prepare according to package directions or make the no bake Cheesecake filling according to the method below.

• 1 package cream cheese
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In food processor, place cubed cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  
2. Pulse until smooth.  Pour into a container and chill until firm.

Assembling Brownie Cheesecake Bites

• melted chocolate (dark, light, white)
• raspberries

1.  Using a small spring loaded icecream scoop,  place one scoop of cheesecake on each brownie bite.  Freeze 30 minutes.
2. Dip each cheesecake (very quickly) into dark melted chocolate.  Refrigerate until firm.
3. Place a raspberry on each bite and drizzle white and milk chocolate on each bite using a piping bag.
4. Keep refrigerated. 

Rouladen

My friend, Doris, makes Rouladen for special occasions and I always get hungry for them when she mentions them. You will note I have several options here ending with a combination of her recipe and how I've adapted it for our family.

Ingredients:

• 2 – 3 lbs round steak, cut for Rouladen (8 - 12 thin slices)
• salt, pepper and marjoram to taste
• mustard
• 1 - 2  large onions, chopped (I used 1 onion)
• 15 – 20 slices bacon
• a few pickles. sliced (optional)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can button mushrooms

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, sauté onion and bacon. I used pre-cooked bacon, so I just add it once the onion is soft, or use it without frying. You can skip the sauteing if you prefer the short cut. 
2. Tenderize the meat. I put a few slices on a chopping board, cover the meat with a plastic bag and then use the meat hammer on it. This way the juices don’t splatter.
3. Sprinkle meat lightly with salt, pepper and marjoram, then paint lightly with mustard.
4. Divide onions and bacon on tenderized meat slices and add pickle on one end.
5. Roll up, starting with pickle end, folding in the sides a tad. Secure with toothpick if you like.
6. Brown in same pan as you cooked the onions in. I like to add a splash of wine at the end of the browning process and continue cooking them until it’s almost evaporated.
7. Transfer Rouladen to roasting pan.
8. Add cream of mushroom and liquid from mushrooms to drippings in pan and bring to boil. I used 1 can mushroom soup and about 1/2 cup light cream.
9. Pour sauce over Rouladen and bake at 325° F for 1 - 1 ½ hours, depending on size. Add button mushrooms for last 20 minutes.

Other option for sauce: Add 3 cups beef or chicken broth (shake 1 cup with 3 Tbsp flour to thicken) to drippings in pan. Cook rolls on stove or in the oven, in the sauce. When done, remove rolls onto serving plate and stir ½ cup of cream into the gravy.

Our favorite family version: to the cooked onions and bacon I add about 2 cups stove top prepared stuffing and a handful of cranberries, leaving out the pickle. I also leave out the button mushrooms. While fixing the amount of gravy (after Rouladen are cooked) I add sliced sauteed mushrooms and more half and half to make the amount of gravy we like. It it needs seasoning, I add a tsp of better-than-bouillon. This can all be prepared the day ahead and re-heated the next day.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Bev's Spaetzle or mashed potatoes and red cabbage

Spaetzle

This is one of my husband's favourites.
 I don't think it is really a Mennonite specialty although it is very similar to Kielke.
 In Germany it is served alongside pork and schnitzel.

Spaetzle is wonderful served plain but is often served up smothered in mushroom gravy or fried with onions and bacon.

For those of us who have to watch our weight, a smaller helping is advised but do try them.
  

This is a Spaetzle maker.

 Prior to getting it as a gift from my Swiss neighbour, I placed a flat grater over my pot of boiling water and used a spatula to "wipe" the batter over the grater. 

 You could also use a colander with large holes, however the Spaetzle maker makes it much easier.You can find them at many kitchen stores.

Place the spaetzle maker over a large pot of boiling water. Fill the little square box with batter and then push the box back and forth over the grater holes allowing the batter to drop by little globs into the boiling water.

When the batter is gone, you let the spaetzle cook a few minutes longer and then drain and serve.

For the batter you will need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Place flour and salt in mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs to milk and stir into flour until a sticky batter is formed.
3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, add salt.
4. Place batter by spoonfuls in spaeztle maker or colander and push batter back and forth allowing it to fall in small globs into the boiling water.
5. Stir spaetzle in pot occasionally to keep them from sticking together.(I often add a little vegetable oil to the pot)
6. After the batter is used up, cook a minute or two longer.
7. Using a large colander, drain the water off and return spaetzle to pot.
8. Add 3 large tablespoons of butter and stir.
9. Serve.
10. If you like, you can carmelize a chopped onion slowly in a tablespoon or two of butter and stir these into the spaetzle before serving.

* I usually double this recipe because my husband loves them fried with bacon and onions the next day. That's if there are any leftovers.
A double recipe feeds 7 to 10 people.