FReeper Weekly Recipe Thread (Dec 31 ~ Happy New Year)

FreeRepublic Cooks | Dec 31, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 4th installment of the FReeper Weekly Recipe Thread 2012.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or three- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

Here's the place to share and explore your latest and greatest favorite recipe.

[Jukeman]

Two sticks of butter. I’m going to try butter flavored shortening and cut back by 1/4 on that. Thanks for the tips.

[Trillian]

I tried a new recipe for white chocolate macadamia cookies several weeks ago. They turned out flat so I had to adjust the recipe because it had too much butter in it. That’s usually the problem (for me anyway).

Try this recipe:

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2009

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
3/4 cups (5 1/4 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and baking soda together.

Set a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add 10 tablespoons of the butter. Cook until melted, about 2 minutes, then lower the heat slightly and continue cooking until the butter is golden brown with a nutty aroma. Swirl the pan frequently to ensure the butter browns evenly. Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl and add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, stirring until it melts completely.

Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla into the butter until fully incorporated. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat the resting and whisking 2 more times until the mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Add the flour mixture to the bowl, stirring with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using).

Portion the dough into large balls, each about 3 tablespoons, and arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, 1 tray at a time, until the cookies are golden brown and puffy, with edges that are just set and centers that are soft, about 10-14 minutes. Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely.

If you like peanut butter I have an awesome recipe for peanut butter dark chocolate chunk pecan cookies that always turns out great. An adjustment here and there over the years has resulted in the perfect cookie the whole family enjoys.. even the picky ones.

[Netizen]

I tried a new recipe for white chocolate macadamia cookies several weeks ago. They turned out flat so I had to adjust the recipe because it had too much butter in it. That’s usually the problem (for me anyway).

I had been tweaking my old recipe too. Got rid of the trans fats/shortening and used butter, but I added an extra cup of flour. Reducing the butter would probably have done the same but I already had the butter in. I don't use shortening for anything. Won't even have it in the house.

[Gaffer]

One pack of Oscar Mayer beef bun-length weiners.

One pack of top-cut hot dog buns (Ingalls here in GA has them).

One Pack of half-pound Medium Sharp Cheddar.

One pack of thick-sliced bacon...

Hot dog in bun with long slice of Kraft cheese on both sides.

Wrap with two stretched pieces of bacon around the bun.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes...

A real coronary delight.

[kalee]

Vampires beware.

[tubebender]

Visit here and vote for Humboldt County Cheese makers...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2827454/posts?page=65

[rightly_dividing]

White chocolate macadamia nut cookies??? Would you post that recipe please, if you have it typed and copy ready, that is? I am looking for a better recipe than I have, though my wife likes it just fine. It her favorite kind of cookie ;)

[rightly_dividing]

in you list of ingrediants you have 1/2 sugar. is that a half cup of sugar?

[Jukeman]

Wow! Made cookies with the recipe you sent me and they are fabulous. Thanks a bunch.

[Netizen]

How All-Purpose is All-Purpose Flour?

When using all-purpose flour, do you still need to use baking soda, salt, and baking powder when the recipe calls for it?

Yes. Yes, you do.

Perhaps you’re thinking the term “all-purpose” means “all-inclusive,” or more likely, you’re mixing it up with “self-rising” flour, which does include salt and leavening agents. All-purpose flour in this country is our name for regular old flour, with no leavening ingredients, no salt, and not too much protein and not too little. All-purpose flour is called for in most recipes, as opposed to bread flour, cake flour, pastry flour, self-rising flour, etc., etc.

Not all all-purpose flours are the same, however. Some have more or less protein, some are milled from softer or harder wheat, some are bleached, some are bromated, etc., but there’s nothing we can do about that. For all intents and purposes in this huge country of ours, if a recipe calls for flour, you go to the store and select from two or possibly three brands of all-purpose flour. Then you follow the instructions in the recipe for adding the correct amount of yeast, baking soda, baking powder, salt, etc., just as you would for all the other ingredients.

http://www.ochef.com/449.htm

[Silentgypsy]

Thanks!

[Netizen]

You are welcome. :)

[miss marmelstein]

Thanks for clearing that up! I didn’t think all-purpose flour had baking powder or soda but you never know. I use King Arthur; just because the “foodies” say it’s the best. Who knows?

[Netizen]

Thanks for clearing that up! I didn’t think all-purpose flour had baking powder or soda but you never know. I use King Arthur; just because the “foodies” say it’s the best. Who knows?

I knew it didn't. I have so many types of flour around here, and they take up too much space in the fridge or freezer! lol

I use King Arthur bread flour and I think Gold Medal all purpose. Always the unbleached.

As an aside I tried a new cookie recipe over the holidays.

Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal Cookies

1 12oz pkg semi sweet chocolate pieces (melted)*
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups quick or old fashioned oats (uncooked)
1 cup chopped nuts
powdered sugar (optional

Beat together cream cheese, butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add combined flour and baking soda; mix well. Stir in oats and nuts; mix well. Cover; chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 F. Shape dough into one inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies are almost set. (Centers should still be moist. Do not overbake.) Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in tightly covered container.

*To melt chocolate: Place in dry 1 quart glass measuring cup or microwavable bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Or, place in top part of dry double boiler over hot, not boiling water; stir occasionally until smooth.

What I did. I prepared the batter up to the oats. I divided my batter. In one bowl I used quick oats and in the other the old fashioned. The quick oats I left plain and the old fashioned I added nuts. I also added flax meal to my batter (1 tsp)

I didn't make them into balls, I just used my cookie scoop and I didn't separate them by 3 inches either and it wasn't an issue. I also, used parchment paper, saves on clean up.

Son doesn't like oatmeal which is why I wanted to see what the quick oats turned out like. He thought they weren't too bad, but thought they were too chocolaty.

Overall we liked the old fashioned oats the best with the nuts (walnuts). At first I thought the old fashioned were a bit tough, but, the next day that was gone. So in that regard they were better the next day. I'll definitely make them again. The old fashioned oats and the flax meal really help to lower the glycemic index of these cookies. The old fashioned oats reduce the glycemic index more than the quick oats do.

I'd like to be able to leave the melted chocolate out and make blonde brownie cookies, but, not sure what to replace the melted chocolate with.

Anyone have any ideas on this?

[Silentgypsy]

“www.joyofbaking.com/cocoa.html
Substitute 3 tablespoons (18 grams) cocoa plus 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter for every 1 ounce (28 grams) of unsweetened chocolate.”

Perhaps you can substitute the unsalted butter for every ounce of chocolate, and then play w/adding flour to compensate for the bulk of the cocoa powder?

[Netizen]

Thanks, I saved that info and may give it a try. I was thinking too about trying white carob chips. I find the white chocolate chips often found in the stores to not really taste like chocolate but to be overly sweet.

[Silentgypsy]

The white chocolate chips don’t really taste like cocoa butter to me, either. Can you let us know about the results of your experiments? Where do you get white carob chips?

[miss marmelstein]

Thanks so much for the advice and recipe!

[Netizen]

What I have found so far:

No white carob chips. Closest I’ve found are the yogurt drops, but I won’t use them because of the trans fats/partially hydrogenated oils.

But, I may try a couple of things. One, I could replace the regular chocolate chips with sugar free ones to greatly reduce the sugar content and glycemic index. I may also try the cocoa powder and butter idea that you posted and substitute some of the cocoa with flour and I could also try using carob powder with the butter and partial flour substitute. I would think the cocoa and carob would reduce the sugar as well.

[Silentgypsy]

I haven’t seen any satisfactory white chocolate (cocoa butter) product since we moved to the country. Because cocoa powder is bitter, wouldn’t using it increase the need for sweetener? (Never tried carob powder.) Do you use sucralose? I substitute part of the sugar w/sucralose in baking, but the chlorine molecules are bothersome.