Black & Tan: PB and Chocolate Cookies

You've heard of the Black and White Cookie.  And then there is the drink called Black and Tan.  Well, meet the new Black and Tan:  Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookie.  Such a simple recipe with a classic flavor profile.  These cookies are very tender and soft.  Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

Black and Tan:   PB and Chocolate Cookies

Yield:  Approx 3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Shortening

1/4 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

1 and 1/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 12-oz Bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Step 2:  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, shortening, butter and peanut butter.

Step 3:  In a seperate bowl, blend together the flour, baking powder, baking soda salt

Step 4:  Add the egg to the creamed mixture and stir until well blended.  

Step 5:  Incorporate the flour mixture into the creamed mixture to make your cookie dough.  Stir until well combined.

Step 6:  Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours or overnight.  It must be well chilled before baking!

Once the dough is chilled . . .

Step 7:  Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit and prepare your baking sheets by greasing them.

Step 8:  Portion out the cookie dough into 1 tablespoon lumps.  I use a small cookie scoop which yields uniformed sized cookies.   With a fork, lightly press down on the top of cookies.  Do this again except press them in the opposite direction so that you get a nice criss-cross pattern on the cookie.  Be sure not to flatten them too much.  This should be done with a light hand, just enough pressure to indent.

Step 9:  Bake 1 sheet of cookies at a time.  Bake for 7 minutes.  Remove from oven, let sit for 2 or 3 minutes to slightly cool, then remove them with a spatula to a cooling rack.  Be sure to let them cool on the pan first - otherwise these will tear apart if you remove them right away.

Repeat Steps 8 and 9 until all cookies are baked.  Once cooled . . . .

Step 10:  In microwave bowl, place the chocolate chips.  Microwave on low for 30 second intervals, stirring in between interval, until smooth and melted.

Step 11:  Gently 'frost' half of each cookie with the chocolate.  Return to cooling rack to let the chocolate set up.  Once chocolate is set, store the cookies in an air-tight container with sheets of wax paper in-between each layer to prevent sticking.

Italian Cream Cake

Many moons ago I worked in an absolutely wonderful coffee shop while attending college.  I loved working there;  I loved my coworkers, I loved the owners, I loved the customers, I loved the beverages and even the food.  Each day we had a cake of the day.  It would be a beautiful cake displayed on a pedestal cake stand and when it was gone, it was gone.  Whenever I would open the shop up for the day, you can guarantee that I had a slice of the cake du jour for breakfast.  After all, it displayed best with 1 slice missing so that the customers could see the luscious, tender inside of the cake.  Am I right, or am I right?  It really was  a service ;)  

Of all the cakes served, my favorite was the Italian Cream Cake.  It's mild flavor of butter and vanilla mixed with shredded coconut, cherries, cream cheese and nuts made for a party of absolute delight on my palate.  No one ingredient out-shined the other. It was just soooooooo good.  

And the other day, I woke up and thought to myself, "Self, I could really go for some Italian Cream Cake from Moxie."  And then it began.  I don't live in that state any more, so I had to find a recipe to replicate it.  I think the flavor of this recipe nailed it.  However, I would have like the texture to have been a teensy bit air-ier.  Is that even a word?  Basically, it wasn't as fluffy as I would have liked.  So, I will likely make this again and experiment a bit.  In the meantime, try this version. I am addicted.

Italian Cream Cake
Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Shortening
2 Cups Sugar
5 Large Eggs, Separated and Room Temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Flaked Coconut
1 10 oz Jar of Maraschino Cherries

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8-oz Brick of Cream Cheese
1 Pound Powdered Sugar (approximately 4-5 Cups)
1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Toasted Nut of Choice (Walnuts, Pecans or Hazelnuts)

Cake Directions:
Step 1:  Prepare your cake pan of choice with grease and flour.  Set aside and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2:  Drain the Maraschino cherries and reserve the juice for a later date (aka - add it to a cola for a cherry cola!).  Dry the cherries on a paper towel - they need to be super dry.  At this point, you can either leave them whole or cut them in 1/2.  I prefer to cut each on in half. Next, in a small bowl add 1 TB of flour.  Add the cherries and stir to coat; set aside.

Step 3:  In a bowl, stir together flour and baking soda; set aside.

Step 4:  In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar, shortening and butter until well combined.   Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat until combined. Alternately, add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter/sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Gently fold in coconut.

Step 5:  In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up). Fold about one-third of the egg whites into cake batter.  Then, fold in the remaining whites. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the cherries over the top of the batter (they will sink to the middles while baking).

Step 6:  If using a 9x13, bake about 35 - 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely before frosting it.

Frosting Directions:
Step 1:  In a large mixer bowl, add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Beat until well combined.  Add a 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.  Add in another 1/2 cup and beat again until well combined.  Continue doing this until all the powdered sugar is added and the frosting is rich and creamy.

To Assemble:
Frost the cooled caked with the Cream Cheese Frosting.  Sprinkle with toasted nut of choice (I used hazelnuts).  Enjoy!  

Corn Flake Crispies

Need a quick sugar fix?  I love these bars.  Super easy and quick to make.  Crispy, chewy and yummy.  They are very similar to Rice Krispy Squares, except they are made with corn flakes.  Please refer to the note on the bottom of the page for an additional fun idea!

Corn Flake Crispies

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Pound (16 ounces) of Marshmallows

1  Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

8 Cups Corn Flakes

Pan Spray or Extra Butter (for greasing the pan)

Step 1:  Butter or grease a 9x13 cake pan with pan spray.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat.

Step 3:  Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. 

Step 4:  Add corn flakes cereal. Stir until well coated.

Step 5:  Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and spread out evenly and pat down.   Let stand for 15 minutes.  Cut and serve.  Store covered.

Note:  This is the same basic recipe you  would use to make Corn Flake Wreaths at Christmas-time.  To do so, use the same above recipe.  During Step 3, add 2 teaspoons of green food coloring.  Skip Step 5.  Instead, layout a large sheet of wax paper and using a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup coated with cooking spray, evenly portion the warm cereal mixture out onto the wax paper. Using buttered fingers, quickly shape into individual wreaths. Dot with cinnamon candies or small red M&Ms.  Here is a picture I snapped before my daughter made the hole in the center on the two end wreaths.  The recipe will make a dozen plus wreaths.

Pannekoeken (Puffy Pancake)

Pannekooken or Pannekoeken or Dutch Baby or . . .Puffy Pancake?  Regardless of how you spell or say it, it is super yummy.  Pannekoeken is a type of pancake that is baked in a pie plate via the oven and it puffs up around the edge.  There was once a restaurant called Panekoeken and when ever someone would order one, the server would briskly walk to the table with the order while yelling "Pannekoekennnnnnnnnnn!".  And I cannot tell a lie, it had been a very long time since I had one.  And then I watched a Christmas episode of Bob's Burgers and they reference a Dutch Baby.  And then I had to have one.  No mistake.  I needed one ASAP.

What makes this so yummy though?  I love it because it's almost like a cross between a pancake and popover.  It puffs, has a crusty edge and an almost custard/eggy (yet firm) bottom.  I just love the texture.  And the taste is divine by itself, rich and buttery.  However, you can top it however you would like.  Please note, in my photo, I made a "double".  I have an extra-large, deep dish round pan that holds the volume of a standard cake mix.  To make the recipe below, use a standard pie dish.

Pannekoeken (Puffy Pancake) 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Flour

1 Cup Chopped Apples (optional)

2 TB Butter, Melted

Cinnamon

Sugar

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Meanwhile, mix eggs, milk and flour together in a bowl.  Add chopped apples (if using).  

Step 2:  Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a pie pan.  Pour in the batter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake 15 - 20 minutes.  The sides will puff up over the edge - and that's part of what makes this awesome!  

Serve immediately.  To serve, slice into wedges and eat as you would a regular pancake.  I served mine with a cherry compote.  This makes a great breakfast treat or simple dessert.  Amazing.

Creamy Coleslaw

Comfort food.  That's where I rank this recipe:  Comfort Food.  Coleslaw is something I grew up with and was likely served weekly at our dinner table.  My mother grew her own cabbage in the summer.  During the winter, she bought cabbage at the store.  Regardless, it was a staple in our household.  She always made it the same way too:  sweet, creamy and a little tart.  No other coleslaw measures up to it (in my opinion).  The ingredients are simple and are likely things you usually have on-hand.  Enjoy!

Creamy Coleslaw

Serves 12 (1/2 cup serving size)

Ingredients:

5-6 Cups Shredded Cabbage (or 1 bag from the produce section at the grocery store)

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup White Vinegar

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Celery Seeds (optional)

Paprika (optional / for garnish)

Step 1:  Prepare the dressing.  In a medium sized bowl, add the mayo, sugar and vinegar.  Stir together until well combined. If using celery seeds, add them and stir until combined.

Step 2:  Place cabbage in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and mix well with the cabbage. 

You can either serve this immediately or you can cover it and store in the fridge up to 1 day in advance of serving.  Before serving, sprinkle with paprika (optional).