Tropical Oatmeal Cookies

I have had these cookies on my mind for several weeks now, and just finally got around to actually making them!  These are crisp/chewy oatmeal cookies with coconut and dried pineapple and white chocolate covered raisins, and just a touch of almond extract.  They are very much like traditional oatmeal raisin cookies, but with a tropical flair.  I used Coriaunty's fabulous Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe as a base and tweaked a few things.


Tropical Oatmeal Cookies


2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon Lyle's Golden Syrup (or substitute corn syrup)
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup (about 6 ounces) dried pineapple, diced
1 cup white chocolate covered raisins or yogurt covered raisins


Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and syrup, and beat together until well blended.  Add the flour mixture and oatmeal and blend until just combined.  Stir in the coconut, pineapple, and raisins.  


Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.  Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the center is just set.    Cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 36 cookies.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Mini Cinnamon Roll Pastry Bites

I had the idea for these little treats quite some time ago and am only now getting around to making them instead of just dreaming about them.  These little cinnamon rolls start with a pie crust instead of the traditional yeast dough or even biscuit dough.  Top them off with a little vanilla drizzle, and the masterpiece is complete.  Be careful, though.  It's a little hard to stop eating them.


Mini Cinnamon Roll Pastry Bites


Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons shortening
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
6 Tablespoons ice cold water


Filling:
1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon (to taste)


Glaze:
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract


Place the flour, sugar, salt, shortening, and butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it reaches the consistency of coarse crumbs.  Add the water, a tablespoon at a time while using short pulses until the dough starts to stick together.  Transfer the dough to a floured surface and form into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap.  Chill for at least one hour.


Preheat the oven to 375F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 


When you are ready to roll the dough, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  On a well floured surface, roll the pastry dough into a 10 inch by 18 inch rectangle.  Spread the butter over the surface of the rolled pastry dough.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the butter.  Roll up the pastry like you would for cinnamon rolls, starting at a wide side.  You will end up with an 18 inch pastry roll.  Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry roll into 1/2 inch slices, and place on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart.


Bake in the preheated oven for 23 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 2 or 3 minutes.  Carefully transfer the pastries to a cooling rack to cool completely. 


For the glaze, in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and butter.  Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla.  Drizzle the glaze over the pastry bites.  Makes about 30 pastry bites.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Double Decker Banana Cookie Brownie Bars

Here we go with the bananas again.  Surprising isn't it, how many banana recipes keep popping up even though I don't like them?  Yeah.  What's a girl to do?  Hopefully you all love banana baked goods and so will thoroughly enjoy these little treats.  A banana cookie layer topped with a super fudgy banana brownie, studded with peanut butter cups and topped with a chocolate peanut butter chocolate layer.  Only want the cookies?  Or only feeling like eating brownies?  Just make one or the other and reduce the cooking time.

Double Decker Banana Cookie Brownie Bars

Cookie Layer:

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter flavored shortening

1 overripe banana, mashed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chopped peanut butter cups candy

Brownie Layer:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 medium banana, mashed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces) cocoa powder

2/3 cup (3 ounces) all purpose flour

1 cup chopped peanut butter cups candy

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer:

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9x13 pan. Set aside

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, shortening, and mashed banana.  Beat well until light and smooth.  Add the vanilla and egg, and beat well until incorporated.  Beat in the flour, salt, and baking soda until just combined.  Stir in the chopped peanut butter cups.  Press into the prepared pan and set aside while you make the brownie layer.

For the brownie layer, melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop.  Whisk in the sugar and salt, then whisk in the eggs, banana, and vanilla extract.  Stir in the cocoa powder and flour until completely combined.  Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups.  Pour the batter over the cookie dough layer in the prepared pan.  Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.  Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack.

For the chocolate peanut butter topping, melt together the chocolate chips, peanut butter and corn syrup, either in the microwave or on the stovetop, until smooth.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the brownies and spread evenly.  Let cool completely before cutting and serving.  Makes one 9x13 pan of brownies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Pink Lemonade Fudge

This cool and sweet pink lemonade fudge was born out of a pure kitchen disaster.  I like to think that I am a little like MacGuyver in the kitchen.  Working my way out of the worst of culinary disasters with nothing but a toothpick and a stick of butter.  No, but seriously, I really enjoy coming up with solutions for my cooking or baking problems.  I don't like to waste or throw away food.  So when I have something that turns into a flop, I try to find some way to save it or use it.  So when I seized an entire bag of white chocolate chips, I was super lucky to have a can of pink lemonade frosting (I think it might be a seasonal flavor) that I had just bought that morning.  The result?  This fabulous pink lemonade fudge (that my hungry puppies love, by the way...color and flavor!).


Pink Lemonade Fudge


1 bag (12 ounces) white chocolate chips
1 can (16 ounces) pink lemonade frosting


Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil.  Set aside.


Melt the white chocolate chips, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.  When the chips are melted, add the frosting and stir until well combined.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Place in the refrigerator until completely cool and firm.   Remove the fudge from the pan using the foil to lift it out.  Cut into squares.  Makes about 24 pieces.


Note:  If your white chocolate seizes, go ahead and add the frosting anyway.  Just continue to gently warm the mixture and stir until it comes together.  You may have one or two residual lumps, but it should come out just fine.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Lemon Blueberry Cookies

A while ago, I made cookies using instant pudding mix.  I have had some cook and serve lemon pudding sitting in the cabinet for a while, and needed to use it up.  I wondered if you could exchange cook and serve pudding for instant in a cookie recipe.  Well, I am here to tell you that you can.  Just make a few minor adjustments and you will have a nice moist chewy cookie. 


These cookies are lemony with little bursts of blueberry throughout. Drizzled with a little white chocolate, they are perfect chewy treat.


Lemon Blueberry Cookies


3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 box (4.3 ounce) cook and serve lemon pudding
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dried blueberries
melted white chocolate to drizzle, if desired


Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.


In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In a medium size bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat in the pudding mix.  Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.  Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Stir in the dried blueberries.


Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the centers are just set.  Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Drizzle with white chocolate if desired.  Makes about 30 cookies.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Birthday Cake Muddy Buddies

A friend of mine just had a birthday, so I thought that I would make a mini birthday cake for her.  I'll spare you the gory details, but here's a hint: it ended up upside down in a tupperware container in my fridge.  What do I do for a birthday treat last minute?  Birthday Cake Muddy Buddies!  A sweet and crunchy treat with the flavor of birthday cake! Note: Be extremely careful when melting the white chocolate chips.  White chocolate chips can be very temperamental and can easily seize.  Warm them very slowly...even if it seems to take forever!

Birthday Cake Muddy Buddies

8 cups Chex cereal (choose your favorite, or mix them up!)

1 bag (12 ounces) white chocolate chips

1 Tablespoon shortening

1 1/2 cups Funfetti cake mix

Combine the Chex cereal in a large bowl.  Place the white chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl, and very slowly and gently warm it in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds.  Once the white chocolate is melted and smooth, drizzle it over the cereal and toss to coat evenly.  Immediately sprinkle the cake mix over the cereal mixture and toss until the cereal is evenly coated.  Let the mixture cool completely.  Transfer to a large ziplock plastic bag.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes will be sure to  satisfy your mint chocolate craving.  Moist chocolate cupcakes with a surprise peppermint patty tucked inside, topped with a smooth and minty frosting.  

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

1 (4 serving) box instant chocolate pudding (I used sugar free-fat free)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

24 peppermint patties

Frosting:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon (or more to taste) mint extract

Green gel food coloring

4 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350F.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.  In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, chocolate pudding, sour cream, oil, eggs, and milk.  Beat together until well combined.   Fill each cup about 1/4 full, then place a peppermint patty on top.  Spoon the rest of the batter over the peppermint patties, distributing the batter evenly between the muffin cups.  Bake for about 22 to 25 minutes, being careful not to overbake.  Let cool in pans for about 5 to 10 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack. 

For the frosting, in a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, vanilla extract, mint extract, and green coloring to reach desired shade.  Beat in the powdered sugar.  Add the milk and beat until smooth.  Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.  Makes 24 cupcakes.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Cream Puffs

There has been a lot of Amelia Bedelia reading going on in my house lately.  As a result, I received a request for cream puffs.  I found this Taste of Home recipe, and did Amelia Bedelia proud.

Cream Puffs

Pastry:

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all purpose flour

4 eggs

Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 to 1/2 granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil.  Quickly add the flour and stir until a smooth ball forms.  Remove from the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg in completely before adding the next egg.  After all of the eggs are incorporated, beat just until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop the dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the puffs to a cooling rack and cut a small slit in each one for the steam to escape.  Let cool completely.

When ready to serve, place the whipping cream in a large bowl and beat until it starts to thicken slightly.  Add the vanilla and gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form and the whipped cream can hold its shape on a spoon.  Split the cream puffs open horizontally and scoop out the soft dough from the inside.  Just before serving, fill the cream puffs with whipped cream and place the top of the puff on top of the cream.  Makes 10 cream puffs.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Home Made Snickers Candy

As you all know, I am not a fan of peanuts.  Most nuts actually.  This has been a source of family humor for years.  Why is it funny?  Because I like creamy peanut butter.  Dislike crunchy peanut butter.  What is the difference?  Crunchy peanut butter has peanuts in it. Dislike.  Well, then what is creamy peanut butter?  Yeah, I know.  Anyhow.  I also am not a fan of Snickers candybars.  Probably the peanuts, but I will definitely pass.  My family, on the other hand...so this recipe is for all of you peanut lovers.

I modified the original recipe slightly.  It made a 9x13 inch pan of these babies, and I only needed a small batch.  Original recipe found here.

Home Made Snickers Candy

Bottom Chocolate Layer:

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Nougat Layer:

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons whipping cream

3/4 cup marshmallow cream

2 Tablespoons peanut butter (I used creamy again, for extra peanuts, just use crunchy)

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Layer:

7 ounces caramels (1/2 of a bag), unwrapped

1 Tablespoon whipping cream

Top Chocolate Layer:

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk or semisweet chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with foil.  Grease the foil. 

For the bottom chocolate layer, melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Chill until chocolate is set and hard.

For the nougat layer, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the sugar and cream and stir until the mixture comes to a boil.  Let the mixture boil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and add the marshmallow cream, peanut butter, chopped peanuts, and vanilla, stirring well.  Pour over the cooled chocolate layer and spread evenly.  Chill until completely cool.

For the caramel layer, melt together the caramels and the cream and stir until smooth.  Pour over the cooled nougat layer and spread evenly.  Chill until completely cool.

For the top chocolate layer, melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the cooled caramel layer and spread evenly.  Chill until completely cool.  Remove the candy from the pan, using the foil to lift it out.  Cut into squares.  Makes 16 candy bars.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Oreo Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not really a die hard fan of chocolate chip cookies made with pudding mix, but this particular variation snagged me.  I unexpectedly found these cookies irresistible when dunked in milk.  I am not a cookie dunker. However, as my hungry puppy was dunking these cookies in her glass of milk, I asked if I could perhaps "borrow" a dunk or two...or three...or I'll just get my own glass of milk.

Oreo Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 box (4 serving size) instant Oreo Pudding mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the pudding mix and beat until incorporated.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  

Place heaping tablespoonfuls of dough (a cookie scoop works well here) on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, being careful not to overbake.  Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes about 24 cookies.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Cake Batter Candy Popcorn

This fun and delicious popcorn can be a wonderful Easter treat (or any time for that matter)!  This cake batter flavored white chocolate popcorn is a sweet, slightly salty, crunchy treat.  Perfect for gifts, or just a big bowl to share.


Cake Batter Candy Popcorn


12 cups popped popcorn (I used 2 bags of microwave popcorn)
Easter M&Ms (I used about 1/2 of a bag. Use whatever flavor you love!)
1 (12 ounce) bag white chocolate chips
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup funfetti cake mix


Place the popcorn and M&Ms in a large bowl.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, combine the white chocolate chips and shortening.  Carefully melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth.  Stir the cake mix into the melted white chocolate.  Working quickly now (the white chocolate will stiffen up), pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn mixture and stir until evenly coated.  Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and pour the popcorn mixture onto the wax paper and spread evenly.  Let the popcorn cool on the wax paper, then transfer to a ziplock bag.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Flower Sugar Cookies

I thought that these adorable cookies would be a fun change from the regular cut out sugar cookies.  Using a basic sugar cookie dough, simply roll into balls, coat with colored sanding sugar and cut open with a pair of scissors to create flower petals.  A pastel M&M in the center completes this simple creation.  


Flower Sugar Cookies


1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pastel colored sanding sugar
1/4 cup white frosting
About 40 Easter M&Ms (I used white chocolate M&Ms)


Preheat the oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  


In a medium sized bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.    Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat well to thoroughly combine.  Scoop dough with a small cookie scoop (about a heaping tablespoon) and roll in the sanding sugar.  With a pair of kitchen shears, cut the dough balls almost in half from the top, leaving the bottom of the dough balls intact.  Do not cut all the way through.   Cut each half of the dough balls into 3 "petals", again leaving the bottom intact.  Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart, spreading the "petals" evenly.  


Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until barely golden brown at the edges. Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  When the cookies have cooled, place 1 M&M in the center of each cookie, using the white frosting as glue.  Makes about 40 cookies.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever???

I found this New York Times version of the BEST chocolate chip cookie ever, and I thought that for the pursuit of scientific research, I should make these cookies.  To see if they really are the BEST.  I have a hard time labeling any one chocolate chip cookie the BEST, though.  Is it really the best ever and you will never find a better one?  Or is it the best until the next best recipe comes along?  I don't know if these are the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever, but they are pretty high up there.  They are crispy and chewy and chocolatey and delicious! Note: you don't have to make these cookies the size of your hungry puppy's face.  Just scoop smaller dough balls (1/2 or 1/3 this size), and reduce the cooking time accordingly.

The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie (slightly adapted)

2 cups minus 2 Tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 ounces Hershey Kisses, unwrapped and chopped (or use your favorite chocolate)

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a stand mixer and medium-high speed, cream together the butter and sugars for about 5 minutes.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in the chopped kisses and chocolate chips.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the dough.  Refrigerate the dough for 24 to 72 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop the dough into 3 1/2 ounce balls and space 6 of them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 17 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown but still soft in the center.  Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Makes 18 large cookies.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy