The Charmed Kitchen

I thought I’d share some tips with you for perfect cheesecake. Have you ever had a cheesecake crack? You did everything according to the directions and it comes out of the oven just fine and then- a crack. It happens a lot but it doesn’t have to. There is a simple solution.

I followed the rules, too. I did not over beat the eggs, sometimes I added a pan of water to the oven. There are recipes that call for leaving the cheesecake in the oven, with it turned off, to cool down slowly. All work sometimes- but then- a crack. You cover it up with pie filling or sour cream but it still bothers you- what did you do wrong?

I came upon the solution that has worked for me. It’s simple really. Cheesecakes puff up while baking and then as they cool down they deflate. They crack because they stick to the sides of the pan. As it shrinks it pulls on the cheesecake and a crack results.While cheesecake recipes almost never tell you to do this- I just spray the pan with a non-stick coating or brush with a little oil or melted butter. So simple. Every time I have done this the cheesecake puffs then shrinks while cooling and the result- no cracks.

Here are some more cheesecake baking tips.

1. Let the cream cheese and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
2. Mix the ingredients until just mixed, don’t over mix as that also causes cheesecakes to puff up and then fall and crack.
3. Use a springform pan so you can remove sides after baking.
4. Either butter the sides of the springform pan or loosen the sides as soon as it comes out of the oven to prevent cracks as the cake cools.
5. Place springform pan on baking sheet or pizza pan to catch any drips.
6. Keep oven humid during cooking to reduce cracking. Just place a pan of water on a lower oven rack for recipes that are not already using a water bath.
7. Let baked cheesecakes cool down slowly. Cool on a wire rack and remove sides when the recipes specifies.
8. Test for doneness near the end of the baking period by gently shaking the cheesecake. When fully cooked a 1-inch section in the middle will jiggle slightly. This area will be 2 inches wide in a sour cream recipe. This soft spot will firm up after cooling down. Knife tests do not work on cheesecakes because the knife will cause the cake to crack and cakes including sour cream will always test undone even when fully cooked.
9. Stored cooled cheesecake in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or an inverted bowl to prevent drying out and also to keep it from picking up odors. Cheesecake will keep for up to 3 days.
10. To freeze, place the cooled whole cheesecake or cheesecake slices in the freezer unwrapped. Leave in until partly frozen and then wrap tightly in freezer wrap. Use within a month for best flavor. Thaw in the refrigerator. Loosen wrap, but keep cake covered during thaw.

Bonus Tip: Don’t be afraid to play around with recipes. You can interchange crust recipes or add fine chopped nuts to a crust. Experiment with flavorings. Try using mint, lemon, almond, chocolate and nut flavorings to add a little zing to a favorite recipe. You can also decorate your cheesecake with powdered sugar, cocoa, nuts, candies, shaved chocolate…

Black Forest Blintzes

Sometimes you need a dessert- fast. This recipe works so well. It is both simple and kind of elegant.  I had some canned cherries and some bittersweet chocolate.  I also had flour tortillas, so I combined them for what I think is a pretty nice dessert. Easy to make, too. The name was inspired by Black Forest Cake, which contains both chocolate and cherries.

You could use cherry pie filling- canned or homemade. I had canned cherries- unsweetened, so I used them. I put the can of cherries in a saucepan, with the liquid from the can. I stirred in about two tablespoons of cornstarch until it dissolved. Then I put the pan on the stove and started heating them up over medium heat. I added sugar- about half a cup- and cooked it until the mixture started to thicken and get bubbly. I added a little cinnamon and a bit of fresh grated nutmeg. I also added a splash of vanilla. Stir as the mixture gets thicker, so it won’t stick. Set aside to cool down a little. If you are using pre-made cherry pie filling you can skip this whole part.

Next, I softened the tortillas in milk for about 10 minutes. This makes them more pliable- like a thick crepe. While the tortillas were softening I prepped the chocolate sauce.

I melted some semi-sweet (bittersweet) chocolate with a little half-and-half.  Two parts chocolate to one part of the half-and-half. Whipping cream would also work. Milk, too, but maybe use a little less milk, it is thinner.  I melted the chocolate and half-and-half  in the microwave for half a minute or so, then stirred until smooth.

It was time to assemble the blintzes. I put the melted chocolate in a squeeze bottle and put a nice swirl of it in the center of a softened tortilla. Then I added a couple of spoonfuls of the cherry pie filling. You’ll want about 1/4 cup of pie filling for each one. I folded up the sides a little and then folded it over- like making an egg roll, only flatter.  I repeated the process a few more times, until I had half a dozen ready to cook. Next I melted some butter in a pan and cooked them over medium heat, turning once, until golden on both sides. I put a drizzle of the chocolate on a plate, dusted the blintz with powdered sugar and placed it on top of the chocolate. Simple and kind of pretty, too.

These are so easy to make- and you can just make more, if you run out. Great for holiday parties, they are best served warm, but are good cold, too. You can also top them with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, if you like.

Won Ton Appetizers

If you are looking to serve appetizers for New Year’s Eve, here are some easy ones that your guests will love. Some can be made ahead of time, saving you time the day of the party. The won ton appetizers pictured here are from left to right- Crab Rangoons, Sesame Spinach Triangles and Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons.

Sesame Spinach Triangles

oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

12 oz. fresh spinach, cooked, chopped  and drained or 1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed, cooked and drained

1/2 c. chopped water chestnuts

2 T. oyster sauce

2 t. sesame oil

1 t. hot sauce

won ton wrappers

Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, except won ton wrappers. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Allow mixture to cool. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of a won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water and fold over to form a triangle. Press to seal edges. Place filled triangles in 375 degree oil and fry for about 2 minutes or until golden.

Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons

1 c. cooked diced chicken- I used thighs

1/4 c. minced celery

1/4 c. mayo

2 T. honey

2 T. dried minced onion

1 T. hoisen sauce

1 t. fresh grated ginger

salt and hot sauce to taste

won ton wrappers

Combine all ingredients, except the wrappers,  and mix well. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water. Fold in 2 corners to meet in the middle. Starting at one of the remaining corners fold up and over and form into a roll. Press to seal edges. Fry in hot oil ( 375 degrees) for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Crab Rangoons

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (6 ounce) can crab meat, drained and flaked

2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

won ton wrappers

Combine all filling ingredients and chill until ready to use. Place 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of each wonton skin. Moisten the edges with water and bring 2 corners together. Bring the other 2 corners up and press all together to seal. Press all seams to seal. It should look like a little bundle.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Hot Crab Dip

8 oz. crab meat or faux crab, if you prefer

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. mayo

1 T. chopped chives or green onion, optional

1 heaping teaspoon horseradish

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Combine all ingredients in ovenproof bowl and mix until smooth. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You can also heat mixture in microwave for 90 seconds or until hot. You can mix the ingredients ahead of time and chill until ready to heat and serve.  Serve  with crackers, crusty breads or veggies. You can also spoon mixture into hollowed out tomatoes and broil until crab dip is hot and bubbly.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings

12 chicken wings, cut into 2 pieces, save tips for another use

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (or jar) of pineapple chunks, drained, reserving liquid- I used a pint jar- if using store bought use the 20 oz. can.

salt and pepper

Sauce:

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. ketchup

3 T. sherry

2 T. soy sauce

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. red pepper flakes

reserved pineapple juice

3 T. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place wings in pan and season with salt and pepper. Bake chicken wings in roasting pan for 30 minutes. Add the onions and pineapple chunks to the pan with the chicken wings and return to the oven for 30 minutes longer. While chicken is cooking combine the first seven sauce  ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Check baking pan for any juices- Spoon them out and add to the sauce. Combine pineapple juice and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring until smooth and add to the sauce. Return to boil and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Pour hot sauce over chicken and return to the oven to bake 20-30 minutes longer or until wings look nicely glazed and sauce has started to brown. Makes 24.

Brie Truffles

8 oz. brie, room temperature- I remove the rind from the brie for a smoother texture.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick ( 4 0z.) butter, softened

2 c. fresh pumpernickel bread crumbs*

In food processor combine cheeses with butter until smooth.  Chill mixture 30 minutes or longer. With a small cookie scoop or teaspoon form mixture into small balls. Place crumbs in a bowl and roll the balls of cheese in the crumbs to coat. Place in small paper cups and chill until ready to serve. Makes 3-4 dozen.

* To make the crumbs just place torn

Caramelized Onions “Toasts”

2 lbs. Onions, chopped

3 T. oil

1 t. salt

2 T. brown sugar

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Dash red hot pepper sauce

Paprika

Sauté onions in oil with salt over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Onions should begin to caramelize and brown without burning. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly another 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if needed and serve warm with crusty bread, crackers or smoked meats. Keeps in fridge for a couple of weeks or can be frozen. To make the toasts I placed a little of the onions on Wheat crackers and topped with squares of sliced Swiss cheese. Placed in a 400 degree oven until the cheese melted.

Brie with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 c. basil leaves

3 T. Pine nuts, walnuts or pecans

2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

3 T. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

½ c. sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water and chilled overnight

1 T. oil

1 t. oregano

small wheel of Brie 1-2#

Combine first five ingredients in a blender or processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain tomatoes and chop coarsely. Combine with remaining oil and oregano and season to taste. Split Brie horizontally into 3 pieces. Spread

One layer with pesto and top with a piece of Brie. Spread with tomato mixture and top with remaining Brie. Wrap and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature or warm slightly. I warmed it wrapped in foil at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.Wanted it to brown a bit. Goes best with crusty breads.

 Caponata

2 small eggplants, unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, about 5-6 cups

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 c. olive oil, or a little more

4 celery ribs, sliced

2 sweet peppers, seeded and chopped

1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic

3 tomatoes, chopped- or 1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes- undrained

1 c. sliced black olives

3-4 T. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste*

Soak eggplant in salted water for at least 15 minutes. Rinse, drain and pat dry. Set aside. Meanwhile in skillet cook onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil until tender. Add the celery and cook until the celery is tender-crisp. Place mixture in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons more of the oil and cook the peppers until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and cook 1 minute longer. Add this mixture to onion mixture and return skillet to the heat. Add remaining oil to skillet and cook eggplant until golden brown and tender. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Add remaining ingredients to bowl while eggplant is cooking. When eggplant is done add it to the bowl and mix well., Season to taste. Serve with crusty breads cold, hot or at room temperature. Serves 10-12.

* While I don’t have any herbs listed in the ingredients I often add oregano and basil or an Italian or Tuscan seasoning blend. I also like to add capers.

Mushroom Spread

½ lb. mushrooms, trimmed, washed and chopped

2 T. butter or oil

1 medium onion, chopped

½ t. salt

Fresh ground pepper

Dash of nutmeg

1 t. lemon juice

2 t. flour

½ c. sour cream or strained yogurt

½-1 t. dill weed

Sauté onions and mushrooms in butter or oil for 4 minutes. Add seasonings, lemon juice and flour and cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream or yogurt and dill. Serve with pumpernickel bread, crackers or in mini cream puff shells.

I was thinking the other day, about how popular the story, A Christmas Carol, still is today. Charles Dickens first published the story in 1843. Dozens of versions of the story have been made into movies.

When someone is called a Scrooge, we certainly know what they mean. It isn’t good.

But, if you think about it, it is kind of unfair to old Ebenezer.

He was an awful person. Stingy, cold and uncaring. But he changed. Isn’t that the whole point of the story?  In Scrooge’s case it took three ghosts to wake him up. The point is, he woke up, before it was too late.

So I think we all have the chance to choose which Scrooge we want to be. We can be the first Scrooge, who makes poor Bob Crachit work long hours, for little pay, and cares more about money than people. It is a pretty lonely life.

Or we can be the second Scrooge. Scrooge 2.0, if you like. This is the guy who learns to love again. He learns to care and to find a generosity of spirit. According to the story, he lived the rest of his life that way. Better late, than never.

So what makes someone the new and improved version of Scrooge?

Well, the obvious stuff is to be generous. Which does not have to mean giving money to people. You don’t have to give money away. Heck, you might not have money to spare. But if you can afford too, sharing some of it is a nice thing to do.

It is about being generous in spirit, though. Spending time with someone who needs the company.

It could mean donating your time to a charity, or just helping out a friend.

It means trying to accept people who think differently than you. This one can be hard- trust me.

It means not assuming people are poor because they are lazy. There are lots of reasons folks may be down on their luck.

It means being more patient.  This is one I need to work on- especially in traffic!!

It means treating people with love, rather than hate.

It means trying to find value in people- even if it isn’t always obvious.

It means being a little less judgemental.

Be nice to kids.

Be nice to animals.

It means loving yourself. You deserve to be loved.

I know there are plenty of the old Scrooges out there. Call me an optimist, I think a lot more people are like the new Scrooge. The Scrooge who knows what really matters in life. Most of those people didn’t have to be visited by three ghosts to figure that out, either.

I am also not sure we can change other people to be more caring and loving, at least not as easily as Dickens did. Dickens had three ghosts to help him out, after all.  But we can work on ourselves. In the end, only we are responsible for how we treat other people.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be in the post- dream Scrooge world? Surrounded by people who open their hearts to others, people who give, not for recognition, but just because it is the right thing to do.

I know those people are out there. I know a lot of them. I am blessed to have a lot of people like that in my life. I hope you are, too.

Happy Holidays.

Vanilla and Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

If you are looking for a special holiday breakfast, you might want to make waffles. No one ever complains when you make waffles for breakfast. Or if you  make waffles for lunch or dinner, for that matter. But the response is even better when you make Belgian waffles. At least that has been my experience.  My theory is, that because Belgian waffles are bigger, people love them even more.  These waffles are light and rich at the same time. They can be used as a dessert, too. For dessert just top them with ice cream, chocolate sauce or whipped cream – or all three. You can even freeze any extras. Oh, who are we kidding? There aren’t going to be leftovers. But if there were, you could freeze them.

Vanilla and Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups half and half- or milk
1 cup butter, melted
2 t. vanilla extract

Sliced fresh strawberries, powdered sugar or syrup

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add milk, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown. Serve with strawberries, powdered sugar or syrup. Yield: 10 waffles (about 4-1/2 inches).

Buckeyes

If you are looking for some last minute food gift ideas, these might help. All of them can be put together in no time and require little, or no cooking.

I find my friends and family really appreciate homemade gifts. I start making some items well in advance. Other things really need to be made last minute.

I have made a lot of cookies for gifts, but sometimes I just want to make something different. Here are some of my most popular gifts, based on how many people ask for them again. My friends and family are not shy!!!

Buckeyes

Buckeyes are a favorite treat here in Ohio, but everybody loves them. They are made with peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter and a chocolate mixture for dipping. Easy and very tasty. This is a treat kids can help make, too.

1 ½ lb. powdered sugar
1 ½ c. peanut butter
2 sticks softened butter
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 T. coconut oil or shortening

Mix together sugar, peanut butter and butter. Chill. Roll into balls, about 1-inch big. Flatten slightly. Melt chocolate and coconut oil. Dip in melted chocolate to cover about ¾ of the surface. Using a toothpick or fondue fork makes this job a lot easier. Allow to harden on wax paper. Store in a cool place. Can be frozen. Makes about 80.

Susie’s Giant Peanut Butter Cup

Giant Peanut Butter Cup

I wanted a food gift, for a friend. I wanted to make her something special. I decided to try my hand at making a giant peanut butter cup. I’ve made small ones in the past, so I knew the basic structure. Using a 10-inch tart pan offered different challenges, but I went ahead and gave it a try. I wasn’t worried about the components. I had good quality dark chocolate and peanut butter. I knew it would taste good. I wasn’t sure it would stay in one piece. After using more than a pound of chocolate, I didn’t want to bring her a pile of broken pieces. It worked, and here is the result. Since I haven’t given it to her yet, I don’t have any pictures of it sliced. I used a pretty good amount of chocolate. You could probably use less, but I wanted the chocolate thick enough on the bottom the make it sturdy. I also used a slightly altered version of the filling I use when I make buckeyes. I am pleased with how it came out. Who am I kidding? I am just happy it came out in one piece.

Here is how I did it.

1- 1½ lbs. chocolate – I used a nice quality dark chocolate

1½ c. peanut butter

1 stick (½ cup )  butter, softened

2 ½ c. powdered sugar

2 t. vanilla

You will need a tart pan with a removable bottom. I used a 10-inch pan, but a 9- inch pan would work, too. Cover the removable bottom of the tart pan with wax paper. It will make it easier to get the thing out in one piece later. I cut out a square and just folded the extra wax paper under the pan and taped it down. Melt the chocolate and pour enough of it into the bottom of the tart pan that you can cover the bottom generously. Use a small spoon to push chocolate up the sides of the pan.

Now at this point you could just keep tipping the pan to get the chocolate evenly coated inside. I know my limitations. I just pictured myself dropping the pan of melted chocolate, so I used the spoon method instead. The important thing is that the entire inside get a coating of chocolate. Place pan in fridge to cool and chocolate to set up. Meanwhile, in medium bowl mix peanut butter and butter together until well mixed. Stir in sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Spread this mixture over the chocolate shell. Don’t press too hard. You don’t want to break the shell. I will confess that before I added the peanut butter, I played around with loosening the chocolate shell. I was worried it would not come out later. After I added the peanut butter mixture, I put it back in the fridge to firm up. Once the peanut butter mixture was chilled, I melted the rest of the chocolate and poured it over the top.

I used a lot of chocolate in the base and needed to melt more chocolate than I originally planned on. I do think the thicker shell helped when it came time to get it out of the tart pan.

To remove the peanut butter cup- make sure it is completely hardened. I gently pulled at the sides all around the edges of the tart pan, to loosen it. Then I pushed up on the removable bottom of the pan. After a few gentle pushes, it came out. I had to trim a little chocolate off the bottom when removing the wax paper, but it helped in getting the peanut butter cup out in one piece.

Homemade Cashew Brittle

Homemade Cashew Brittle

If you need a great food gift- perhaps something to bring to a holiday party- this brittle might just be the answer.  I was given this recipe at a craft show a few years ago. The brittle is cooked in the microwave. No special thermometers or equipment required. Just a glass bowl and a few minutes of your time. It could not be simpler.  It is really good, too. You can use other nuts, if you prefer, or peanuts. You can also dress it up with a drizzle of chocolate, once cooled. Stored in a covered container, in a cool dry place, the brittle will stay crunchy for weeks.

2 c. cashews*

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1/8 t. salt

1 t. butter

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

Butter or oil a large baking sheet and set aside. In a 3-4 quart glass bowl combine the nuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, stir well and return to microwave. Cook 3 more minutes in microwave. Remove and stir in butter and vanilla, stirring until butter has melted. Return to microwave and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in baking soda. Stir until well blended and pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Spread out quickly, then allow to cool. Once cool, break into pieces. Store in a cool, dry place. I normally store it in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

* I used salted cashews but feel free to experiment with other nuts

Note: Use high power setting on microwave.

Homemade Liqueurs -Using Extracts

Homemade Almond Liqueur

I enjoy making liqueurs with seasonal fruits, but when fruit is in short supply, you can also use extracts. Pure extracts will give your liqueur a nice, true flavor, but no color. I have made almond, hazelnut, walnut and peppermint. You can use whatever flavors you think you might like. One advantage is that liqueurs made from extracts are ready to drink in less than a week. Fruit based liqueurs often take weeks and weeks to fully develop. So if you like a little almond flavor in your coffee- you can make your own liqueur with almost no effort. Another advantage is that you can adjust the sweetness to your own taste as well. I have included the recipes for almond and peppermint, but the recipe is the same for any extract flavor you might want to make.

Almond Liqueur

1 t. pure almond extract
3 c. vodka
1 c. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients and let mature several days. Makes 4 cups.

Peppermint Liqueur

1 t. pure peppermint extract
3 c. vodka
1 c. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients and let mature several days. Makes 4 cups.

Sweetening- Simple syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup. You can sweeten your liqueur with honey, if you prefer. Watch when you substitute honey for sugar, as it is sweeter and stronger flavored. Better to use orange or clover honey. Add to suit your taste.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Hot Cocoa Ice Cream Cone

I am always looking for homemade gift ideas for the holidays. I really like gifts that both adults and kids can make. This one is just a simple way to package homemade hot cocoa mix to make it special. We made these in a holiday gift class the other night. People really enjoyed making them.

You start with hot cocoa mix- recipe follows. Then you get these cone shaped bags. I use a 12-inch size and a 17-inch size. I buy my online but they are available in some craft and candy making stores. Just put about 1 cup of the hot cocoa mix in the smaller cone shaped bag. Fold the top down and tape it shut. Now place the smaller bag inside the larger bag. Add about a cup of mini marshmallows mixed with some chocolate chips. The chips are optional. Tie shut with a ribbon. It ends up looking (sort of) like an ice cream cone.  I add a label that says “Hot Cocoa for Two” with directions that say, “Divide hot cocoa mix between two large mugs. Fill with a cup of boiling water in each. Stir and top with the marshmallows”. You can make whatever label you like. A quick and simple gift. You could also include mugs with the gift. This is a great idea for kids to make for grandparents, teachers, etc.

Here is the recipe for the hot cocoa mix.

Hot Cocoa Mix

3 c. nonfat dry milk
1 c. cocoa
1 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 c. mini marshmallows (optional)

In large bowl, mix all ingredients well. I like to sift the ingredients in because it powders the milk even finer than the way it comes. Store in an airtight jar and use within 6 months. To use add 5 tablespoonfuls to 8 ounces boiling water. Variation, flavor with cinnamon, instant coffee, cayenne pepper or even dried orange peel.

Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread

I am a big fan of shortbread cookies. I have a classic recipe, that I have made for years. But I like to switch it up sometimes. At a time of year when I am doing a lot of cookie baking, I also appreciate a bar cookie. Very little effort, for a big reward. For these cookies,  I started with my regular shortbread cookie recipe, then added ground pecans and cinnamon. I also sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar.  They came out great. The flavor reminds me of Pecan Sandies, but so much better. Here is the recipe.

Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread

1 c. sugar
2 c. butter
4 c. flour
¾ c. finely ground pecans
2 t. cinnamon
½ c. cinnamon sugar
Cream together sugar and butter. Stir in flour, nuts and cinnamon and press into 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and cut into squares. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 45 minutes or until light brown around edges. Re-cut while warm. Makes 4 dozen or more, depending on the size you cut them.

Stuffed French Toast

If you are looking for a special dish  for a holiday brunch or breakfast, this recipe is always a hit. Whenever I make this stuffed French toast, I remember a Winter brunch in the park with friends. It was February, and cabin fever led to the idea to meet up in the park for brunch. We cooked everything over the grill or on a camp stove. It was pretty cold. We still had a great time.

I made this French toast and it was a big hit. It’s even more fun when you are cooking inside. You can stuff the bread the night before and keep it in the fridge until ready to cook which will save you time in the morning. Great for  brunch- inside or out.

Stuffed French Toast

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped nuts

1 16-oz. loaf French bread

4 eggs

1 c. whipping cream or half and half

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

Mix together cream cheese, vanilla and nuts. Set aside. Cut bread into 10-12 1 1/2 inch slices. Cut pocket in each slice and fill with 1 1/2 T. filling. Combine eggs and whipping cream with remaining vanilla and nutmeg. Use tongs to dip the bread, taking care not to squeeze out the filling. Cook toast on lightly greased griddle until browned on both sides.  Keep toast warm in oven until ready to serve. Serve with maple syrup, warmed preserves or powdered sugar. Makes 10-12 slices.