Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

These are super yummy! I liked the contrast between the rich chocolate and cherries. I only had sweet cherries on hand; I suggest using tart dried cherries as it would be a better contrast. Be sure to use high quality cocoa. Cheap cocoa has a very flat flavor and won't bring out the flavor of the cherries.

Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2005

Yield: 30 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2/3 cup dried tart cherries
3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture. Beat just until combined. Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven; cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Pumpkin Rolls

These didn't last long! I used canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) for this recipe and used hand grated nutmeg. Fresh spices make a big difference in baking so be sure to either use the freshest prepackaged or actual fresh spice like nutmeg, right off the "nut". If you are using out of date spices you are missing out on a lot of the flavor and depth of your baking. Also, be sure to invest in an oven thermometer. Having your oven at the correct temperature will either make or break your creations!

Pumpkin Roll

For the cake:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until well blended. Line a 10 1/2" by 15" cookie sheet with parchment paper, trimming excess. Pour the batter onto the cookie sheet, spread evenly. Sprinke with pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Prepare a linen towel heavily sprinkled with powdered sugar. After baking, turn the cookie sheet onto the towel, parchment paper side up. The cake should slide out onto the towel. Remove paper and roll up the cake into the towel. Cool 30-40 minutes.

For the filling, stir together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, margarine and vanilla. Mix well. After the roll has cooled, unroll it and spread the filling evenly. Re-roll and slice for serving.

Cranberry and Apple Cake

Since you can still find fresh cranberries in the store I highly suggest making this super easy and very yummy cake! Be sure to serve with vanilla ice cream or whip cream to cut some of the tartness!

While you are picking up cranberries for this recipe, be sure to grab a couple extra bags to throw in the freezer. Cranberries freeze really well and don't need to be defrosted before use. Whenever I get sentimental for fall, I pull out a bag of fresh, whole cranberries, frozen at the peak of their season to assuage my "out of season" craving.

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

by Ina Garten

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a tooth-pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

I'm finally over being sick. All I dreamt about was getting back into the kitchen and making something while I was laid up, so I have been going a little overboard with my "Holly Hobby" ways. So far, no complaints from Rick on all the food he has been having to eat.

Last night I decided to make some comfort food (who me?) ala Martha Stewart. I'm a big fan of flavorful foods made entirely in one pot. This recipe didn't disappoint! I forgot the shallots while I was at the store, so used 1 large sweet yellow onion I had on hand. I think the shallots would have given it a more complex flavor, but the yellow onion worked fine. Instead of the Burgundy, I used a Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. Any dry red wine will work. If you don't have one already, go out and buy a good quality enameled cast iron stock pot (I prefer Le Creuset). It makes a difference in making a recipe like this as it ensures a consistent temp and allows for better "bit formation" on the bottom of the pan which add a ton of flavor to the finished product. Be sure to learn how to use enameled cast iron correctly. It requires a slightly different cooking style.

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup
Martha Stewart, Living, December 2010, page 140

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Serves 6

From first bite to last slurp, you won't be able to get enough of this French bistro-style soup, made entirely in one pot.

4 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 pounds total)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 shallots, minced
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 thyme sprigs
1 dried bay leaf
1 cup dry red wine, such as Burgundy
8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef stock
2 cups water

1. Season ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Coat with cornstarch. Heatr oil in a large heavy pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium-high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add mushrooms to pot. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add cubed carrots. (Nate Note: Make sure you save the "cubed" carrots and just add them to the bowl of browned mushrooms. They are added later in the recipe.)
3. Add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot. Cook until caramelized , about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
4. Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
   
5. Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones; discard. Cut meat into bute-size pieces; return to pot. Add reserved mushroom-carrot mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until cubed carrots are tender. Season with salt.

Storage: Soup can be refrigerated for up tp 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw before using. Skim fat from top, and reheat.