November 28: Lemon Cranberry Bars

Ingredients:

  • For the crust and topping:
  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups cold butter cubed
  • 2 table spoons lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
  • For the filling:
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup light sour cream
  • 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 1/2 cups (roughly one bag) of fresh cranberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan and line with parchment paper (not necessary but helps with clean up)
  2. Zest lemon.
  3. Pour 1 1/2 cups sugar into a large mixing bowl and work the lemon zest into the sugar with the back of a spoon
  4. Combine lemon sugar, flour, salt and butter and mix on medium speed until large crumbs are formed
  5. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the crust mixture to use as topping
  6. Place the rest of the mixture into the bottom of the pan and press flat
  7. Bake crust for 14 minutes, or until crust is light brown. Let crust cool while you prepare the filling

For Filling:

  1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl
  2. Add sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and flour and whisk
  3. Add berries and mix.
  4. Pour mixture over the crust
  5. Sprinkle reserved topping over the filling
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until lightly browned.

 

December 5: Chef Jesse’s Chocolate Chip Coconut and Walnut Cookies

  • 1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter , softened ( room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature 
  • 2 teaspoon , Vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon , sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon, baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups chocolate semi- sweet  chips
  • 2 cups coconut flakes  
  • 2 cups Walnuts
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking pan with parchment paper , set aside.
  2. In separate bowl mix , Flour sea salt, baking soda, baking powder, set aside.
  3. Cream butter and sugars , until combined .
  4. Beat in eggs and vanilla , until fluffy.
  5. Mix in the fry ingredients, until combined.
  6. Add chocolate chips, coconut and walnuts, mix well.
  7. Use your scoop of choice scoop on to parchment pan ,, spaced apart.
  8. Bake for 14 minutes, let cool before , removing cookies…. Enjoy…… POW!!!

 

December 12: Thumb Prints

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter (unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups nuts, chopped
  1. Whip together 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter with 4 cups vanilla and a couple of tablespoons of milk.
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  3. Cream butter and sugar.
  4. Add egg yolks and work in the flour, salt, vanilla.
  5. Make dough into balls about one inch in diameter.
  6. Dip in egg white and roll in chopped nuts.
  7. Bake for five minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and press down center of cookies with thumb. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes.
  9. When cool, put powdered sugar icing or cherry in center.

 

December 19: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
  • 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
  1. Arrange the oven racks so one is in the center position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and which to combine the ingredients. Set aside.
  3. Put the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula once or twice until the mixture is light and fluffy. Turn off the mixer, add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the egg is thoroughly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scream down the sides of the bowl once during that time. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until no flour is visible, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once during the process.
  4. Pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Scoop a 2-tablespoon portion of dough and roll in between the palms of your hands into a ball. Roll the ball in the bowl wit the sugar to coat it all over. Place the ball on one side of the prepared baking sheets. Continue scooping and rolling the dough, leaving about 2 inches between each ball.
  5. When you have filled one baking sheet, place it on the center of the oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies have puffed up and have cracked as they’ve fallen back down, rotating the baking sheet from the front to the back mid-way through the baking time. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool to room temperature for about 2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.