Cranberry Pistachio Sugar Cookies

I saw a recipe for these cookies on a blog a few days ago, and they captured my fancy!  Christy, at The Girl Who Ate Everything says she found the recipe from Betty Crocker, but without her post, I wouldn’t have known that this gem of a cookie existed.  The color is light, yet noticeably green, with flecks of red cranberries so suitable for the holidays.  Plus, she gives great tips for shortcuts that will have these cookies gracing your table and palate with the ease you crave during this most busy time of the year!

I used a homemade dough for mine, reducing the sugar, and adding pistachio pudding mix.  So pretty, so yummy!

Don't forget the shopping list!

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
3.4 oz box instant pistachio pudding
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup craisins

Mix ingredients together and form into 1 1/2" balls.  Bake for 9 minutes at 400 F.

From one classical appetite to another...happy cooking!

Photograph © Sandra Baumgarten

Lobster and Shells

Lobster & Shells

I'm a big fan of Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa, and I try to catch her show whenever I can.  Her recipes are easy, practical, and very do-able, yet look fancy enough to serve at any occasion.  She uses basic ingredients that are fresh and won't cost a fortune.  However, now that I say that, this recipe is for Lobster & Shells, and the lobster was too rich for my blood at $12.99/pound.  I opted for cocktail shrimp, and it was so tasty that I'm still blissfully unaware of what I missing!

I have to laugh when Ina says, "Use 'good' olive oil" or "use 'good' vegetables."  You can't very well put in poor quality ingredients and expect a gourmet meal, but I guess it's helpful to be reminded!

I really loved this pasta salad!  It was fresh and light, healthy, colorful, and easy to make!  

"It's important to use small shells so that the corn kernels can get stuck inside them." ~Ina Garten

From one hearty appletite to another...happy cooking!

Lobster & Shells from Barefoot Contessa's "How Easy Is That?" Cookbook

Kosher salt

Good olive oil

1/2 pound small pasta shells, such as Ronzoni

Kernels from 4 ears of corn (about 3 cups)

6 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and small-diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 pound cooked fresh lobster meat (I used cocktail shrimp)

3/4 cup good mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

3/4 cup minced fresh dill

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt and some olive oil.  Add the pasta and cook it for 8-10 minutes.  Add the corn to the pasta and cook it for another 2 minutes, until the corn is tender.  Drain the pasta and corn together in a colander and pour them into a large mixing bowl.  Add the scallions, diced pepper, tomatoes, and lobster, tossing gently to combine.  Allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 6 hours to allow the flabors to develop.  Check the seasonings and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Key Lime Cake

Key Lime Cake!

Birthday cakes rarely get "glamour shots" in our house because we're too busy celebrating to be taking pictures of what we're eating!  However, my sister got a shot of this most delicious key lime cake.  It was my grandmother's 88th birthday, and she loves key lime sweets.  I was inspired by her favorite candy--key lime truffles at See's Candies.

For this cake, I made a three layered vanilla cake with key lime curd filling and whipped cream frosting. The cake was moist--the key lime curd light and refreshing!  I would definitely make this again...maybe for Grandma's 89th?...I don't think I can wait a year! :)

From one hearty appletite to another... happy baking!

Vanilla Cake
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
4 eggs
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 7/8 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Grease and heavily flour three 8x1.5 - inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until well combines and scraping sides of bowl.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total).  Beat in vanilla.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Spread batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a 375 degrees oven for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool layers in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool thoroughly.

Key Lime Curd
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
3 tablespoons key lime juice
3 tablespoons water
3 beaten egg yolks
1/4 cup butter, cut up

In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch.  Stir in lim peel, lime juice, and water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Stir half of the lime mixture into egg yolks.  Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat and add butter.  Stir and cover.  Cool at least one hour before using.

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

To assemble, lay down first vanilla cake and top with half of the key lime curd.  Stack second cake on the curd, and top with the remaining curd.  Add third cake and top with whipped cream frosting.  Garnish with additional lime zest, if desired.  Keep assembled cake refrigerated until time to serve.  Will keep for up to 24 hours, if you don't eat it before then!

Chocolate Marbled Cheesecake

Creamy, mousse-like, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate and vanilla swirled cheesecake!

It's Crazy Cooking Challenge time again, and there was no arm twisting involved for me to participate: CHEESECAKE!!!

This cheesecake is fancy enough to impress all your guests, yet it's a snap to make.  I made and ate it with a 20 month sitting on my hip the whole time.

As I've mentioned, I'm not fond of graham cracker crusts, so I used a buttery, flakey, brown sugar shortbread crust = perfection! =)

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!!!

Chocolate Marbled Cheesecake from Better Homes and Gardens

3 8-ounces packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

3 slightly beaten eggs

4 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces, melted

Crust, family recipe

1/2 cup butter

1/4 packed brown sugar

1 cup unsifted flour

Heat oven 375 F.  Combine all ingredients for the crust and bake in a 9" springform pan for 11-12 minutes.  The crust will not be cooked all the way (do NOT overcook!).  Place the chocolate pieces in an oven-safe bowl and melt in oven the last 5 minutes.

For filling, in a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined.  Stir in milk and eggs until smooth.  Pour half the filling in partially baked crust.  Mix in melted chocolate to the rest cream cheese mixture.  Pour on top of the vanilla mixture and gently swirl 2-3 times with knife, but resist the urge to mix :)  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the outside edge appears set when gently shaken.  (An inserted knife will NOT come out clean, but the cheesecake is done!)  Enjoy!

Wanna join the fun?  Head over Tina's by following the link on the button!

From Your Garden, To Your Table: Margarita Pizza

Hot from the oven!

Light, fresh, and easy!  Margarita pizza is one of my favorite summertime meals.  I just love that half the ingredients can be found in my garden, and the other half I can throw together quite easily with fresh ingredients.  All you need are fresh basil leaves, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pizza sauce and dough!

I made these "personal pan" size so that everyone could make their own to their liking!

Fresh mozzarella makes all the difference!  Trust me and use it =)  I've heard that it's fairly easy to make at home, so I might have to tackle that in the near future.  Enjoy!!!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy cooking!

My favorite pizza dough recipe:

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

Mix all ingredients together and let rest 30 minutes.  Roll out, top with sauce and toppings, and cook on lowest baking rack at 425F for 18-20 minutes, or until cheese is browned.

S'more, S'mores please!

My family loves to go camping, and no trip is complete without s'mores!  I always buy a bag of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers, and several Hershey's bars, but I'm not a huge fan of them.  I usually feel over-sweeted...is that possible?...after eating them.  UNTIL NOW! :)  A word to the wise...after making these, you will never want store-bought fixin's again!

I tackled my fear of making marshmallows by using Martha Stewarts super easy marshmallow recipe...

then hopped over to Smitten Kitchen for her delicious homemade graham crackers!  

Buttery, and slightly chewy homemade graham crackers!

The marshmallows melt into a soft creaminess!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Chi Chi Dango Mochi

Soft and chewy Chi Chi Dango Mochi

I’m a huge fan of the new frozen yogurt places that are popping up everywhere, and one topping that I see at all the places is Mochi, a soft and chewy Japanese candy.  It’s like a thick gel, gummy treat, but it isn’t like a jelly bean that is forever stuck in your teeth.  It has a mildly sweet rice flavor, that isn’t overwhelming as a topping yet is perfectly delicious on its own--I should know...I’ve eaten LOTS! :)

I found this recipe for Chi Chi Dango Mochi, and decided to give it a go!  I took the hints given in the comments, and it turned out perfectly.  I had to laugh when the recipe said, "Don't double it," because there's MORE THAN ENOUGH in a single recipe.  I got three big bowls full.

A great treat for lunches that easily packs along!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Chi Chi Dango Mochi

1 pound mochiko (glutenous rice flour)

2 1/2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I'd suggest 2 teaspoons because I didn't even notice just 1 tsp.)

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 1/2 cups potato starch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Whisk together the rice flour, sugar and baking powder; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the water, vanilla, and coconut milk.  Blend in the rice flour mixture.  Pour into the prepared glass pan.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Allow to cool completely.

Turn the pan of mochi out onto a clean surface that has been dusted with potato starch.  But into bite size pieces using a plastic knife.  The mochi does not stick as much to plastic knives.

*Tips:  take the mochi out after one hour, whether it looks done to you or not.  It IS done :)  Over-baking will cause it to be dry and tough.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite